HPP at a Glance

• High Pressure Processing (HPP) is based on the Le Chatelier principle which states that actions that have a net volume increase will be retarded and actions that have a net volume decrease will be enhanced 

• HPP utilizes isostatic or hydrostatic pressure which is equal from every direction

• During HPP, foods are subjected to pressures up to 100,000 psi. which destroy pathagenic microorganisms by interrupting their cellular functions

• Within a living bacteria cell, many pressure sensitive processes such as protein function, enzyme action, and cellular membrane function are impacted by high pressure resulting in the inability of the bacteria to survive.  Small macromolecules that are responsible for flavor, order, and nutrition are typically not changed by pressure

• HPP is gaining in popularity within the food industry because of its capacity to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms with minimal to no heat treatment, resulting in the almost complete retention of nutritional and sensory characteristics of fresh food without sacrificing shelf-life

• One of the unique advantages of HPP is that pressure transmission is instantaneous and uniform, is not controlled by product size and is effective throughout the entirety of the food item

• As well, HPP offers several advantages over traditional thermal processing including: reduced process times; minimal heat damage problems; retention of freshness, flavor, texture, and color; and no vitamin C loss