This is the second of a two-part series of overview blog articles written by Chloe Lam (chloe.lam@foodmicrobiology.academy), who attended the HPP Innovation Week session from 18-20 June 2024.
Food safety control
Regarding risk analysis for ensuring food safety in food production, HPP has a role in controlling biological hazards (i.e. pathogens). By modifying HPP parameters including pressure, holding time, and water temperature, HPP can be integrated into HACCP plans as the critical control point. According to @Mario González, Ph.d. | HPP Applications Manager at Hiperbaric, HPP even has the potential to reduce the allergenicity of certain foods and reduce the concentration of mycotoxin.
HPP can be used to facilitate hazard control in food products. It can be used in controlling the pathogenic microbial concentration. In terms of bacterial inactivation, HPP helps meeting the performance criterion of > 3log reduction of bacteria level established by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference. The limitation of spoilage microorganisms can minimize the formation of TMA, which lowers the risk of food poisoning. Besides, the HPP technique can facilitate the elimination of parasites. Mild HPP conditions for around 180 seconds can completely inactivate parasites from raw fish fillets. The use of mild HPP conditions not only can eliminate parasites, but also minimize the impact on quality.
HPP is a versatile nonthermal food preservation technique that inactive pathogens while maintaining sensory and nutritional qualities. The implementation of HPP allows for avoiding product recalls and market withdrawals associated with biological hazards.
Application in various products
Multiple researches have been conducted on various food products, including craft beer, cold brew coffee, durian, and seafood. All showed an extended reduction of spoilage bacteria levels after HPP. Unlike thermal pasteurization, HPP maintains the stability of products and does not change the quality profile of food.
Taking craft beer as an illustrative example, HPP has a growing market in this field, driven by the increasing popularity and demand. This technology can extend the shelf-life of products without the need for heating or the addition of preservatives. Even though pasteurization can effectively prevent microbial growth, it would also induce unfavorable alterations such as accelerated aging and developing a stale flavor. Notably, a significant reduction of spoilage bacteria (3.1log) is maintained throughout the product’s shelf-life (@Rui Queirós, Ph.d. | HPP Applications Specialist at Hiperbaric).
On the flip side, HPP also proves highly advantageous in preserving the quality of craft beer. It can retain the quality of craft beer without altering sensory attributes, color, and alcohol content. Customers are unable to distinguish HPP-treated beer from untreated samples in sensory tests, indicating the process preserves the intended flavor profile. This highlights HPP’s suitability for maintaining the authentic taste and sensory characteristics of products, avoiding the quality degradation that can occur with heat-based treatments.
Overall, the versatility of HPP technology is illustrated where it can extend shelf-life and preserve the inherent sensory qualities that consumers demand, without compromising the integrity of the final product.
Summary
High Pressure Processing (HPP) is an innovative nonthermal food preservation technology that is transforming the food industry. By using high hydrostatic pressure, HPP can inactivate harmful microorganisms and extend the shelf-life of a wide range of food products, from meat and seafood to beverages and dips, while preserving their natural flavors, nutrients, and appearance. Compared to traditional thermal pasteurisation, HPP offers significant advantages, including the ability to create “clean label” foods with minimal additives, improve visual appeal, and facilitate more efficient and higher-yielding extraction of shellfish meat. With a rapidly growing global market, HPP is well-positioned to address consumer demand for minimally processed, safe, and high-quality foods.
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