5. Conclusions
The application of ultrasound affects the heat and mass transport
processes. The effects linked to ultrasound include cavitation,
compressions and expansions, microstirring, etc. and affect both
the external and the internal heat and mass transfer resistance.
The importance of each effect in the global influence of ultrasound
on transport is different for the system considered: solid–liquid,
solid–gas or solid-supercritical, since, for example, cavitation does
not take place in a gas or supercritical medium. The process variables
influence the magnitude of the ultrasound effects and it is
necessary to establish the optimum value for each specific application.
This offers new possibilities for food process innovation, ranging
from energy savings to process yield or product quality. The use
of ultrasound is opening up a field of activity in food processing.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Ministerio
de Ciencia e Innovación (DPI2009-14549-C04-04), Ministerio
de Ciencia e Innovación (Fondos FEDER) Ref.: PSE-060000-2009-
003 and Generalitat Valenciana, Programa PROMETEO/2010/062.