However, HVED is based on both chemical reactions and
physical processes. When HVED is produced directly in water,
it injects energy directly into an aqueous solution through a
plasma channel formed by a high-current/high-voltage electrical
discharge (>40 kV; >10 kA) between two submersed
electrodes.27,62−64 This technique, although more efficient for
cell disintegration than PEF, requires a high investment too and
produces free radicals in the submerging medium that reduce
the total antioxidant activity of the extract. Nowadays, the
performance of the industrial application of HVED treatment
was not evaluated, thus requiring more research developments,
but in any case, it is important that new steps be taken to help
build a more rational use of our natural resources.
For instance, some authors have evaluated the potential of
these technologies to recover nutritionally valuable compounds
from Stevia rebaudiana leaves. Figure 4 shows a schematic
representation of PEF and HVED processing systems.
Moreover, some of the most important findings are listed
below and in Table 2.