High-Pressure Processing Technologies for the Pasteurization and Sterilization of Foods

Abstract

The food-processing industry has made large investments in processing facilities relying mostly on conventional thermal processing technologies with well-established reliability and efficacy. Replacing them with one of the novel alternatives recently developed is a decision that must be carefully approached. Among them, high-pressure processing (HPP), at room or refrigerated temperature, is now a wellestablished option experiencing worldwide commercial growth. Surveys have shown an excellent consumer acceptance of HPP technology. For financial feasibility reasons, HPP treatments must be kept short, a challenge that can be met by some of the alternatives here reviewed such as the use of the hurdle technology concept. Although HPP technology is limited to pasteurization treatments, the combination of high pressure and high temperature used in pressureassisted thermal processing (PATP) can be used to sterilize foods. An analysis of alternatives to achieve the inactivation of bacterial spores at the lowest temperature possible highlights the need for additional research on the use of germinants. Because of incomplete research, PATP presents several implementation challenges, including the modeling of food temperature, the determination of inactivation kinetics particularly for bacterial spores, and the prediction of chemical changes including the potential formation of toxic compounds.

Effect of High Pressure Processing on the Microbial Inactivation in Fruit Preparations and Other Vegetable Based Beverages

“…Some examples are cited by Mujica et al (2011) [89]. Mathematical models used to analyze inactivation kinetics have already been exposed by some researchers [90].…”

“…Those parameters (mainly DT, S and z) are well established for thermal processes but are very scarce the ones limited for the pressurization treatments. Some examples are cited by Mujica et al (2011) [89]. Mathematical models used to analyze inactivation kinetics have already been exposed by some researchers [90].…”

Characterisation and screening of the process stability of bioactive compounds in red fruit paste and red fruit juice

“…However, e.g. combination with high temperature, or the use of pressure pulsing are proposed to contribute to the necessary spore inactivation [10][11][12]. Since residual dormant spores have been detected after pressure pulsed treatments and this method was found to be economically less attractive due to high maintenance costs and decrease of equipment lifetime, high temperature-high pressure processing is the main route for investigating high-pressure sterilisation [13].…”

Benefits and limitations of food processing by high-pressure technologies: effects on functional compounds and abiotic contaminants Beneficios y limitaciones del procesamiento de alimentos por tecnologías de alta presión: efectos en componentes funcionales y contaminantes abióticos

“…High-pressure processing (HPP) technology has been developed as an alternative to thermal processes with the aim of obtaining microbiologically safe food products while avoiding undesirable changes in the sensory, physicochemical, and nutritional properties of foods (Bermu´dez-Aguirre & Barbosa-Ca´novas, 2011;Campus, 2010;Mu´jica-Paz, Valdez-Fragoso, Tonello Samson, Welti-Chanes, & Torres, 2011;Palou, Lo´pez-one of the innovative food processing technologies most accepted by consumers (Cardello, 2003;Cardello, Schutz, & Lesher, 2007;Evans & Cox, 2006). A recent development, not yet commercialized but with an application already approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (www.nafwa.org/blog/, accessed 5 March 2009), is the use of pressure treatments at higher temperatures, a method known as pressure assisted thermal processing (PATP) (Bermu´dez-Aguirre & Barbosa-Ca´novas, 2011;Mu´jica-Paz et al, 2011;Torres, Sanz, Otero, Pe´rez Lamela, & Saldan˜a, 2009b;.…”

“…A recent development, not yet commercialized but with an application already approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (www.nafwa.org/blog/, accessed 5 March 2009), is the use of pressure treatments at higher temperatures, a method known as pressure assisted thermal processing (PATP) (Bermu´dez-Aguirre & Barbosa-Ca´novas, 2011;Mu´jica-Paz et al, 2011;Torres, Sanz, Otero, Pe´rez Lamela, & Saldan˜a, 2009b;. Regarding HPP effects on food composition, research has shown a higher retention of nutrients and functional compounds including no changes in antioxidant capacity when compared with other preservation processes such as thermal treatments (Oey, Lille, van Loey, & Hendrickx, 2008;Oey, van der Plancken, van Loey, & Hendrickx, 2008); however, there are still very few studies reporting PATP effects on foods (Ramirez, Saraiva, Pe´rez Lamela, & Torres, 2009).…”