Harnessing the power of high hydrostatic pressure for food quality preservation

High hydrostatic pressure processing (100–1000 MPa) is a minimal thermal technology applied to food products, often at room temperature for numerous reasons

• Inactivate or decrease the initial load of food-borne microorganisms

• Inactivate deteriorative enzymes

• Increase chemical or microbial stability and make desirable textural changes in food products (Huang et al., 2012).

All these effects are influenced by pressure, treatment time, and types of enzymes and/or microorganisms (Aganovic et al., 2021)

HHP has been primarily focused as a substitute technology for heat processing (Rios-Corripio et al., 2020)

Principle of operation

1. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) uses the principle of applying pressure to food products to achieve preservation.

2. The primary mechanism behind HHP for food preservation is microbial inactivation.

3. Food is subjected to high pressures (typically between 100 and 1000 megapascals, or MPa)

4. High pressure disrupts the cell membranes of bacteria, yeasts, molds, and other pathogens present in the food, leading to their inactivation or death.

5. Enzymes responsible for food spoilage and deterioration are also inactivated by high pressure.

6. HHP effectively extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microbial contamination.

7. It preserves the fresh-like attributes of food products while ensuring safety and quality. (Cava et al., 2020)

Relevance of HHP in food preservation

1. Economical and cost effective method of thermal processing

2. Conservation of the nutritional and sensory characteristics of processed food.

3. Ensures microbiological safety and quality of heat-sensitive food.

4. Quality retention (flavor and color),   and product functionality

5. Modification of biopolymers

6. Ensures increased shelf life and quality maintenance

References

1. Huang, H.W., Hsu, C.P. and Wang, C.Y., 2020. Healthy expectations of high hydrostatic pressure treatment in food processing industry. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, 28(1), pp.1-13.

2. Aganovic, K., Hertel, C., Vogel, R.F., Johne, R., Schlüter, O., Schwarzenbolz, U., Jäger, H., Holzhauser, T., Bergmair, J., Roth, A. and Sevenich, R., 2021. Aspects of high hydrostatic pressure food processing: Perspectives on technology and food safety. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 20(4), pp.3225-3266.

3. Zhong, L., Li, X., Duan, M., Song, Y., He, N. and Che, L., 2021. Impacts of high hydrostatic pressure processing on the structure and properties of pectin. LWT, 148, p.111793.

4. Rios-Corripio, G., Welti-Chanes, J., Rodriguez-Martinez, V. and Guerrero-Beltrán, J.Á., 2020. Influence of high hydrostatic pressure processing on physicochemical characteristics of a fermented pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) beverage. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 59, p.102249.

5. Cava, R., García-Parra, J. and Ladero, L., 2020. Effect of high hydrostatic pressure processing and storage temperature on food safety, microbial counts, colour and oxidative changes of a traditional dry-cured sausage. LWT, 128, p.109462