Chapter 3 - High-Pressure Processing; Principle, Applications, Impact, and Future Prospective

Abstract

High-pressure processing (HPP) is an emergent food processing and preservation technique that extends shelf life without altering the nutritional and health attributes of food commodities. Prevailing traditional food preservation techniques (heating, freezing, dehydration) affect the eminence and perception of food material whereas, HPP a non-thermal preservation technique that respects the sensorial (color, flavor, texture, and after taste) properties owing to the absence of heat treatment and maintains the freshness and originality of food material throughout the shelf life of subjected food. Besides, it provides avoidance of thermal treatment and chemical preservatives and high-pressure processing also imparts less effect on low molecular-weight compounds such as vitamins, color pigments, and high volatile flavoring compounds as compared to ultra-heat treatment. In HPP, a high hydrostatic pressure (between 100 and 1000 Mpa) is applied to food material consistently and simultaneously from all directions that will eventually destroy the detrimental microbes and indigenous enzymes due to high pressure by providing the pasteurization effect without thermal treatment. This technique can be applied to both liquids and solid foods with comparatively higher moisture content. Conclusively, HPP techniques are also applied for enhancing several food processes, for example, thawing, freezing, and extraction of bioactive components. This chapter will cover the principle, application, impact, and prospects of the high-pressure processing technique.