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HighHydrostaticPressure(HHP)
Technology presentation
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Introduction
The High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) treatment is
an athermic decontamination process which
consists in subjecting packaged food to water
pressures from 100 to 900 MPa. The pressure
applied is isostatically transmitted inside a
pressure vessel.
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Diagram of the HHP equipment
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Food that can be HHP treated

• Solid foods, mainly vacuum packed
• - Dry-cured or cooked meat products
• - Cheeses
• - Fish, seafood, marinated products
• - Ready to eat meals, sauces
• - Fruits, marmalades / jams
• - Vegetables
• Liquid foods, in flexible packaging
• - Dairy products
• - Fruit juices
• - Nutraceutical formulations

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Food that can not be HHP treated

• Solid foods with air included
• - Bread
• - Mousse
• Packaged foods in completely rigid packaging
• - In glass
• - Canned
• Foods with a very low water content
• - Spices
• - Dry fruits

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Main technological effects of HHP in meat products
About color In fresh or marinated meat, the
iron in the myoglobin changes from ferrous to
ferric and globin is denatured the red color is
lost About texture Inhibition or
stimulation of the proteolytic activity in
musclesactivity muscles (depending on processing
conditions) Proteins are partially denaturized
in products where proteins have not been
previously modified by other process heating,
drying, fermentation About fats and
lipids Reversible crystallization
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Treated beef samples (1)
Top view of the fresh and frozen beef samples
treated by HHP
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Treated beef samples (2)
Cooked samples view from the top (a) view of
the inside (b)
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Treated commercial beef products samples
Commercial beef products before and after HHP
treatment
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Processing or formulation factors that can modify
the effect of high pressure (1)
Temperature High temperatures increase the
effect of high pressure against microorganisms
and meat components Sub-zero temperatures can
protect fish products components, keeping
reasonable microbial inactivation capacitykeeping
capacity pH Low pH values increase the
effect of high pressure against microorganisms
and meat components
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Processing or formulation factors that can modify
the effect of high pressure (2)
Bacteriocins Some bacteriocins, and
specially nisin, are very effective combined with
high pressure, even on Gram bacteria Water
activity With higher water activity, more
effectiveness of high pressure processing, but
also more recovery from sub lethally injured
microorganisms
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Processing or formulation factors that can modify
the effect of high pressure (3)
Preservatives Lactate addition reduce the
initial inactivation of the microorganisms but it
delays its later recovery Combination with
other technologies Combined processes can
improve high pressure effects on microorganisms
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Benefits of high pressure

• Adapted to sanitize products where heat
  processing is inappropriate (dry cured ham,
  fermented meat products, sliced ready to eat meat
  products, etc.)
• Alternative to heat treatments to process foods,
  inactivating micro organisms without changing the
  sensory qualities or the nutritional values of
  foods

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Other advantages of high pressure

• Very low use of energy
• No residues uses only tap water
• Safe for workers
• Accepted by consumers and retailers
• Does not produce
• new chemical compounds
• radiolytic by-products

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Present range of pressures available
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Processing temperatures
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Economic data
MODEL Productivity (a) Cost (b)
Wave 6000/55 170 kg/h 0,19 / kg
Wave 6000/150 425 kg/h 0,14 / kg
Wave 6000/300 850 kg/h 0,11 / kg
Wave 6000/420 2 000 kg/h 0,05 / kg
(a) Filled at 50 volume and processing time 3
minutes at 600 MPa (b) Calculated for 5 years
depreciation, production 280 days/year, 16 h/day
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Industrial motivations to use High Hydrostatic
Pressure treatment
Higher microbiological safety Significant
reduction of the risks associated with the
presence and growth of pathogens Additional
preservation treatment applied to the products
after packaging Better sensorial quality
Significant reduction of the sensorial risks
associated to the presence and growth of
alteration microorganisms (fresher flavour)
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Reasons for the industrial use of HHP
Consumer satisfaction Fresher flavor
Healthy or convenient attributes Legal
requirements Related to food safety Related
to export regulations As a reaction in front a
food crisis To meet costumers specifications
Shelf life extension Image of innovative
company Both to retailers and end users
Producing safer and reliable products
Technology fully accepted by consumers
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Examples of uses of HHP
Dry-cured meat
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Examples of uses of HHP
Cooked meat cooked ham, roasted chicken, turkey
breast, cooked sausages
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Examples of uses of HHP
Ready meals
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Obstacles for the implementation of HHP (1)
Low level of public knowledge about the
technology Attitude of the public
administrations in Europe Legal risk
perception no explicit authorization in most
cases Lack of an explicit support for a wider
use of the technology Image of high cost
Real costs are lower than perceived costs Need
of processing centers providing HPP contract
processing to SMEs False image of high
technological sophistication
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Obstacles for the implementation of HHP (2)
Reduced number of suppliers for equipments
More options available would encourage a more
active market Perception of economical risk
Doubts about mechanical and structural
reliability (unjustified) Some fear about the
usual quick obsolescence for the first versions
of industrial equipments Initial high
investment cost (mainly for big companies with
need for simultaneous purchasing of multiple
equipments) It explains why the average user of
high pressure is a medium size company managed by
the owners Its necessary to offer to food
companies approved protocols and process
validation services for different food matrixes