High pressure processing (HPP) is a relatively new method used by food manufacturers to help preserve their products. Unlike other preservation techniques, HPP can be used with or without the use of high heat. Many food manufacturing companies are still stuck in the belief system that heat is the only way to kill and halt the growth of microorganisms, but HPP is a proven alternative that doesn’t rely on extreme temperatures.
If you’re wondering how HPP is able to extend with the shelf life of certain foods without relying on heat, let me give you a brief overview on it – as the name suggests, high pressure processing places a food product under a large amount of pressure for a short period of time. Depending on the type of food and desired settings, it’s not uncommon for companies to use up to 80,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. When food is placed under such extreme pressure, it leads to microbial inactivation, killing off harmful germs and bacteria.
You might assume that placing food products under high pressure would alter its taste and flavor, but thankfully this isn’t an issue with HPP. Once the food comes out of the machine, it has the same level of freshness and flavor as before. The only real difference is that HPP increases its shelf life by killing off potentially-harmful microorganisms and bacteria.
HPP was named after 17th century French scientist Blaise Pasca, who experimented with high pressure settings on various fluids. Pasca discovered that around 15-20 minutes of extreme pressure would lead to the inactivation of mold, yeast and fungus. The Pascalization method was then named after her; although, many people refer to the method as high pressure processing (HPP).
It’s important to note that not all types of foods are safe to use with the HPP method. If it’s not just the right consistency, the extreme pressure may cause it to fall apart. Some of the foods most commonly preserved using this technique are ready-to-eat meals, hams, turkey, dips and fruit juices. Of course these are just a few of the hundreds of products which frequently go through HPP.
Hopefully this will give you a better understanding on what the HPP method is and why it’s so important in the food manufacturing business. As we continue to seek new ways of food preservation, HPP has become more and more popular. It’s safe, all-natural and doesn’t require any additional chemicals.
High pressure processing (HPP) is a relatively new method used by food manufacturers to help preserve their products. Unlike other preservation techniques, HPP can be used with or without the use of high heat. Many food manufacturing companies are still stuck in the belief system that heat is the only way to kill and halt the growth of microorganisms, but HPP is a proven alternative that doesn’t rely on extreme temperatures.
If you’re wondering how HPP is able to extend with the shelf life of certain foods without relying on heat, let me give you a brief overview on it – as the name suggests, high pressure processing places a food product under a large amount of pressure for a short period of time. Depending on the type of food and desired settings, it’s not uncommon for companies to use up to 80,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. When food is placed under such extreme pressure, it leads to microbial inactivation, killing off harmful germs and bacteria.
You might assume that placing food products under high pressure would alter its taste and flavor, but thankfully this isn’t an issue with HPP. Once the food comes out of the machine, it has the same level of freshness and flavor as before. The only real difference is that HPP increases its shelf life by killing off potentially-harmful microorganisms and bacteria.
HPP was named after 17th century French scientist Blaise Pasca, who experimented with high pressure settings on various fluids. Pasca discovered that around 15-20 minutes of extreme pressure would lead to the inactivation of mold, yeast and fungus. The Pascalization method was then named after her; although, many people refer to the method as high pressure processing (HPP).
It’s important to note that not all types of foods are safe to use with the HPP method. If it’s not just the right consistency, the extreme pressure may cause it to fall apart. Some of the foods most commonly preserved using this technique are ready-to-eat meals, hams, turkey, dips and fruit juices. Of course these are just a few of the hundreds of products which frequently go through HPP.
Hopefully this will give you a better understanding on what the HPP method is and why it’s so important in the food manufacturing business. As we continue to seek new ways of food preservation, HPP has become more and more popular. It’s safe, all-natural and doesn’t require any additional chemicals.