Non-thermal based mostly processing strategies like high-pressure processing (HPP) are comparatively novel strategies. Thermal-based ones have been used for the very long time. However these non-thermal based mostly strategies have been lately garnering consideration within the meals trade as a result of they can protect meals whereas minimizing the lack of high quality.
On this weblog publish, we’ll focus on the specifics of high-pressure processing. We’ll focus on the way it works, its advantages, and its purposes within the meals trade.
What’s high-pressure processing?
Because the identify suggests, high-pressure processing in a kind of meals processing methodology whereby extraordinarily excessive stress is used to remove dangerous microorganisms and protect the meals. One of these processing methodology is revolutionary as a result of it doesn’t use warmth or chemical compounds. The latter, in some cases, isn’t favorable as a result of it will possibly trigger undesirable modifications like browning or nutrient degradation. This is the reason high-pressure processing is fascinating in sure meals merchandise like fruits, greens, and different perishable objects.
The primary high-pressure processed meals had been fruits kiwi, strawberries, and apple jams, all of which produced by Meidi-ya Meals Co., Japan. The colour and style of the jams was pure.
It’s price noting although that though HPP can lengthen shelf life, it doesn’t pasteurize meals. Which means after processing, the meals have to be saved at refrigeration temperature. That is very true for low-acid meals like milk, greens, and soups. Excessive-pressure processed meals can last as long as 120 days or 4 months.
HPP-made meals merchandise can extra expensive than used produced utilizing different strategies, primarily warmth therapies. The components that contribute to this embrace the especial packaging requirement, decrease manufacturing capability, and low market calls for. All of this are that are anticipated for novel applied sciences. Nonetheless, customers could profit from prolonged shelf life, high quality, and the value-added merchandise, which can’t be achieved with different processing strategies.
At this time, HPP is used primarily on meals merchandise with excessive moisture contents equivalent to ready-to-drink meats, seafood, fruit juices, and ready greens. HPP isn’t as efficient in dry merchandise as a result of moisture is important to hold out the method.
How does it work?
HPP includes subjecting the meals at extraordinarily excessive hydrostatic stress. Previous to this, the meals is normally packed in a extremely versatile sterile packaging container. After which, it’s put in a chamber the place it’s pressurized. The stress employed varies and might attain as much as 87,000 lb per sq. inch (psi) for 3 to five minutes. This stress that hits the meals is uniform on all the edges. For that reason, the form of the meals is retained—not broken or squished.
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How high-pressure processing works is determined by the Le Chatelier’s Precept. In keeping with this, any response or change or part transition with an elevated in quantity will probably be favored at excessive pressures, and reactions that concerned a rise in quantity will probably be inhibited. Nonetheless, as a result of many meals programs are advanced, the modifications and reactions that may happen beneath excessive stress will be tough to foretell at occasions.
Luckily, latest progress on analysis and research about HPP has led to understanding the varied results of excessive stress on chemical and enzymatic response, microbial inactivation, and nutrient retention.
In phrases on organic retention, for instance, the membrane of the microorganism is essentially the most most likely space for disruption. Moreover, high-pressure also can inactivate key enzymes, notably these concerned throughout DNA replication and transcription. The mix of those components is deadly to vegetable microorganisms.
Why high-pressure processing?
HPP is just like different kinds of processing strategies—they destroy dangerous microorganisms and lengthen the shelf life of varied merchandise. However as I’ve already talked about, HPP generally is a significantly better possibility for a number of causes.
HPP merely is determined by excessive stress to do its job. Therefore, there isn’t a covalent bonds which can be damaged throughout processing. When damaged, covalent bonds have a tendency to supply free radicals or chemical by-products. Free radicals are extremely reactive molecules as a result of they include an unpaired electron. Extended publicity to free radical will be dangerous to human well being as a result of they will harm cells and DNA.
As a result of HPP doesn’t produce free radicals, HPP practitioners don’t require approval from the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) and Meals Security Inspection Companies to function.
Another excuse HPP generally is a higher possibility is nutrient retention. It’s simply one of many few non-thermal processes that don’t use warmth to course of meals. Different comparable strategies embrace osmotic dehydration, irradiation, and pulse electrical fields.
HPP is especially useful in processing meals that include vitamin B, C, and antioxidants lycopene and beta carotene. These are vitamins that degrade at excessive temperatures. This conduct is demonstrated on this research, whereby strawberry and blackberry purees produced by HPP diminished antioxidant exercise by solely 5%, whereas thermally processed ones diminished by 25%.
References:
V. Vaclavik, E. Christian (2014). Necessities of Meals Science (4th version). Springer.
S. Rahman (2007). Handbook of Meals Preservation(2nd version). CRC Press.
R. Rajenran, A. George, N. Kalarikkal, S. Thomas (2019). Modern Meals Science and Rising Applied sciences. CRC Press
