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The increased consumers' interest in high quality foods with fresh-like sensory and additive free attributes led to the development of non-thermal food processing technologies as alterative to conventionally heat treatments. This review describes the current application status and market trends of high-pressure processing (HPP) technology in food industry. As the most successfully commercialized non-thermal processing technology, HPP eliminates food pathogens at room temperature and extends the shelf life of foods circulated through the cold chain. These processes maintain the organoleptic properties and nutritional value of the foods, which is not possible using traditional thermal pasteurization. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially approved HPP as a non-thermal pasteurization technology that can replace traditional pasteurization in the food industry. Clearly defined regulations and specifications will facilitate the development of the application market to improve product quality and consumer trust. The widespread application of HPP technology has boosted the development and market demand for HPP equipment. HPP has been widely used in the production of packaged vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, and dairy products. By the end of 2015, more than 300 units of HPP equipment were operating globally. Despite the high price and high barriers to investment, the specialized original equipment manufacturer service sector has been gradually increasing, and the annual output value of global HPP market has approached $10 billion. HPP technology also can be combined with existing food trends, as organic food, health food or clean label to boost the development in the food market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High hydrostatic pressure is an emerging non-thermal technology that can achieve the same standards of food safety as those of heat pasteurization and meet consumer requirements for fresher tasting, minimally processed foods. Applying high-pressure processing can inactivate pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and enzymes, as well as modify structures with little or no effects on the nutritional and sensory quality of foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have approved the use of high-pressure processing (HPP), which is a reliable technological alternative to conventional heat pasteurization in food-processing procedures. This paper presents the current applications of HPP in processing fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, dairy, and egg products; such applications include the combination of pressure and biopreservation to generate specific characteristics in certain products. In addition, this paper describes recent findings on the microbiological, chemical, and molecular aspects of HPP technology used in commercial and research applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, sugarcane juice subjected to both high-pressure processing (HPP) and thermal pasteurization (TP) was used to compare the changes in microbial levels, physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, sugar content, activity of sucrose neutral invertase, and sensory analysis during 28 days of refrigerated storage. Results showed that HPP treatment of 600 MPa and TP significantly reduced aerobic bacteria, coliform, and yeast counts. At day 28 of storage, HPP-treated juice (600 MPa/6 min) displayed no significant differences when compared to the fresh juice in terms of physicochemical properties such as total titratable acidity, pH, and total soluble solids. Although significant differences were observed in HPP-treated juice in color, antioxidants, and antioxidant capacity, the extent of the differences was substantially lower than that in thermal-treated juice, indicating that HPP treatment can retain better quality of sugarcane juice. After HPP treatment of 600 MPa and TP, invertase enzyme activity on day 7 declined to 87.69 and 82.86 %, respectively, which could possibly prevent sucrose conversion to fructose and glucose during refrigerated storage. Sensory testing showed no significant difference between HPP-treated juice and fresh juice, while TP reduced the acceptance of sugarcane juice. Collectively, this study indicated that HPP pasteurization can successfully reduce the microbial load in sugarcane juice. Meanwhile, HPP treatment maintains stable quality and inhibits enzyme activity, and thus, it can effectively extend shelf-life during refrigerated storage. Thus, HPP has a great potential in the development of drinks with fresh sugarcane juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High-pressure processing (HPP) entails the pasteurization of food using pressure in the 100–600 MPa range, which results in a reduction of microbial loads and thus extends the shelf life of the processed food. Under HPP, natural flavors can be retained to provide food of superior quality and nutritional value. All food-processing techniques must conform to sanitation and safety-related specifications before they can be employed in food and commercially applied. The pasteurization settings and control of conventional thermal processing techniques have been practically applied. Furthermore, appropriate heat-resistant strains can be selected as target microorganisms to verify the sanitation and ensure effective food safety. However, HPP is still an emerging processing technique, necessitating further investigation of its related scientific theories, parameter standards, and commercial applications. Therefore, the scientific theories behind HPP should be fully understood before appropriate parameter conditions such as pressure, temperature, time, and pH can be accurately selected. Among these, the pressure-resistant characteristics of various microorganisms, as well as their potential physiological response to HPP, are key factors that must be considered when developing HPP foods. As reviewed in this paper, the pressure-resistant characteristics of microorganisms can facilitate the selection of target microorganisms, which can provide a reference for setting pasteurization conditions during food HPP, and reduce the possible unanticipated food safety issues caused by microorganisms after HPP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]