High Pressure Processing

Larry A. Law

High pressure processing (HPP) is a food preservation method you may not have heard about. It is not pasteurization because it doesn't involve heating food. Instead, a tremendous pressure (like that experienced in underwater marine trenches) is applied to juices, meat, and ready-to-eat meals. The technology claims to extend shelf life and maintain the freshness of foods. However, it is not able to eliminate all microbes or inactivate spores. And, of course, there are no long-term studies looking at potential impacts on human health. The dairy industry is exploring HPP as a method to produce "safe raw milk" with a longer shelf life, although the process does alter the milk's texture, color, and potentially its nutritional qualities. Limited research suggests that HPP-treated foods and beverages may not offer the same benefits to health as their truly raw counterparts. 

Cold Pasteurized

Sally Fallon Morell is the founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation (westonaprice.org) and states, "Examples of HPP products commercially available in the United States include fruit smoothies, guacamole, ready-to-eat meals with meat and vegetables, oysters, salad dressing, hummus, ham, chicken strips, fruit juice, salsa, and fruit purees. You won't find any particular symbol identifying it on the label, but you might see the words, 'cold pasteurized.'" The food industry claims that "HPP has the potential to produce high-quality foods that display characteristics of fresh products, are microbiologically safe and have an extended shelf life." The claim of being microbiologically safe has not really been demonstrated.

You can visit hiperbaric.com to see more about the technology.