Influence of pulsed electric field on mortality of yeasts of the genus Candida

Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a technology that uses short duration high intensity electrical pulses. Application of such a field causes electroporation of the cell membrane and consequently increases its permeability [1]. The genus Candida includes about 200 species, some of which are pathogenic to humans. These microorganisms are potentially used as a source of proteins, polysaccharides and biocomplexes in nutrition [7]. The mechanism of microbial inactivation by PEF is related to the formation of pores in the membrane, as indicated by many authors. The aim of this study is to determine the parameters of pulsed electric field affecting the lethality of selected Candida yeast strains, as well as to determine the percentage of dead cells, after PEF exposure. Depending on the voltage applied and the number of pulses, variation in yeast cell mortality is noted. In comparison with the control samples, with the increase in the number of pulses at each voltage variant, an increase in mortality among the tested yeast strains is observed.