High-pressure processing and preservation of food

High pressure alone or in combination with other technologies offers great potential for producing foods with natural characteristics. Pressure works independent of size and geometry of food resulting in even preservation. The preservative effect itself is influenced by a number of factors with different foods requiring different levels of pressure. Various microorganisms also vary in their response to high pressure and the effect depends on the physical state of the microorganism and the composition of the medium. Because enzymes have a high resistance to pressure, enzymatic and oxidative spoilage are the major limiting factors in shelf-life extension of pressure-processed foods. This paper briefly reviews the effects of high pressure on various foods, enzymes, and microorganisms; and discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of this technology.