High pressure treatment: applications in cheese manufacture and ripening

High pressure (HP) treatment has emerged as a food processing technology primarily due to increasing interest in novel methods for preservation of foods. Applying HP to food products modifies interactions between individual components, influences rates of enzymatic reactions and can inactivate microorganisms. This paper reviews studies of HP induced changes in milk relevant to cheesemaking, including the effects of HP on rennet coagulation time, rate of curd formation and cheese yield. Published studies on the effects of direct HP treatment of cheese and specifically the effects of HP on cheese ripening characteristics, functionality and microbiology, are also reviewed.