What is the defining characteristic of High-Pressure Processing (HPP) as a modern preservation technique?
It uses extremely high hydrostatic pressure to inactivate pathogens without chemical additives.
High-Pressure Processing (HPP) represents a significant departure from traditional chemical preservation methods. Instead of relying on heat, chemical agents, or altering the environmental chemistry (like pH or water activity), HPP subjects the packaged food product to immense hydrostatic pressure. This extreme pressure level is sufficient to inactivate or kill vegetative pathogens, yeasts, and molds present in the food. The major benefit cited in the context of cleaner labels is that HPP achieves this microbial inactivation while minimizing adverse effects on the food's nutritional content, color, and texture, all without requiring the addition of synthetic or even many natural chemical preservatives inside the product.
