Abstract: With their unique acoustic cavitation effect, ultrasonic waves are widely applied in food fermentation. This article systematically reviews the multi-scale mechanism of the enhancement of food fermentation systems by power ultrasound, with a focus on the physical effect of sonoporation induced by cavitation microjets and the chemical oxidative stress mediated by moderate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, considering the “window effect” of microbial response to the acoustic field environment in terms of intensity and frequency, this article analyzes the differential adaptation patterns of ultrasonic parameters to complex fermentation systems such as vegetables, condiments, dairy products, and alcohol beverages as well as strain mutagenesis. In light of industrial scale-up challenges such as acoustic-electric impedance mismatch and standing wave fields that arise during the fermentation process, this article examines the core advantages of intelligent dual closed-loop frequency tracking control based on admittance characteristics and the random step frequency sweeping mode in achieving acoustic field homogenization and efficient electro-acoustic conversion. In the future, it is still necessary to further investigate the coupling mechanism between complex biological fluids and dynamic acoustic fields, thereby providing a more solid theoretical basis for the large-scale and intelligent application of ultrasonic-assisted fermentation technology.

Key words: power ultrasound; food fermentation; enhancement mechanism; regulatory methods