Influence of ion concentration in aqueous solution on sterilization of E. coli by high electric field pulse

We have been investigating sterilization of liquid food by high electric field pulse. In this paper, high electric field pulse is applied to aqueous solution with Escherichia coli changing the components of the solution. As results, the survival rate of samples decreases with the ion concentration in aqueous solution. We consider that the performance of high electric field pulse sterilization depends on an amount of Cl^- in aqueous solution, but the amount of Na⁺, K⁺, or Cs⁺ has no effect on the survival rate.