Advances in the Application of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide in the Sterilization of Meat and Meat Products

Supercritical carbon dioxide is a green, environmentally friendly and practical supercritical fluid. At present, it is used to extract various bioactive substances. With the rise of non-thermal sterilization technology, research on the application of supercritical carbon dioxide in sterilization has increased significantly in recent years. Compared with non-thermal sterilization technologies such as cold plasma, high-voltage pulsed electric field and high-pressure carbon dioxide, supercritical carbon dioxide is operated at relatively low temperature and pressure, and thus can preserve nutrients in foods to the maximum extent while improving the microbiological safety of foods. This article reviews the inactivation mechanism of bacteria, spores, fungi and viruses by supercritical carbon dioxide and the factors affecting the sterilization efficiency. In addition, this paper not only summarizes the advantages of supercritical carbon dioxide technology for microbial inactivation and its applications on meat and meat products, but also discusses existing problems and future development trends. We anticipate that this review will provide a reference for further application of supercritical carbon dioxide technology on meat and meat products.