Inactivation of Pathogenic Microorganisms in Foods by High Pressure Processing

Abstract

This chapter reviews the updated knowledge dealing with the effects of high pressure processing (HPP) and high-pressure thermal processing (HPTP) on pathogenic microorganisms in foods, including spores and vegetative cells, and kinetic models to describe microbial inactivation behavior. The outgrowth of pathogens in foods can cause contaminations, food spoilage, foodborne illnesses, and outbreaks. Mathematical models allow many researchers to describe, predict, and optimize microbial behavior in foods after exposure to certain lethal treatment to ensure the microbiological quality and safety of food products. According to Whiting, microbial modeling in foods can be classified as primary, secondary, and tertiary. Two common primary models reported to describe microbial log survivors in foods after HPP and HPTP are the simple first-order kinetic and Weibull models. The nonlinear models are often more appropriate than first-order kinetics for HPP microbial inactivation. The chapter describes the future perspectives of HPP and HPTP foods.