 |  High-Pressure Pasteurization Process
What makes HPP work?
HPP is suitable for food products that have a high water content. Foods such as ready-to-meats, fish and shellfish,fruits,vegetables,soft cheeses,sauces and dips are good candidates for HPP. Food products , usually in their final consumer packaging, are placed in a cylindrical pressure vessel. Water is added, and the vessel is closed. The vessel contents are pressurized at levels up to 87,000 psi (600) MPa. Once the maximum required pressure is achieved, it is sustained for a specified period.
At these pressures, water can be compressed by up to 15%. The pressure that is exerted does not crush the product because its hydrostatic pressure, or pressure is applied equally in all directions. Foodborne pathogens and other organisms causing spoilage can not survive the pressure. The pressure interrupts their cellular activities, and they die.
During the pressurization phase there is a temporary generation of heat, called adiabatic heat. For every 100 MPa of pressure, the temperature inside the vessel is raised by approximately 3 degrees Celsius. Even at the highest level of pressure the total adiabatic heat effect is considerably less then the heat generated by using traditional heat pasteurization.
Once the programed pressure is obtained that pressure is maintained for a predetermined set amount of time. After the hold time the vessel is decompressed. The pressure falls quickly and the adiabatic heat dissipates. The system process is PC controlled and critical process points such as pressure attained and hold times are monitored and documented for process verification.
The treated food products are removed and are sent to the pack off area. At the pack off area numerous functions can be performed based on the requirements of the customer. Functions such as product dry off, label application, ink jetting, box making and packing, bar coding, palletizing, shrink wrapping, and preparation for shipment back to the customer or directly to their customer are performed. |
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