Overview: Effect of high pressure on enzymes related to food quality - Kinetics as a basis for process engineering

In the last decade, high pressure technology received a major interest in food processing/preservation since it offers some advantages especially in retaining food quality attributes (i.e. colour, flavour and nutritional value). In the framework of defining HACCP guidelines or 'Novel Food' regulation, and also from an engineering point of view, kinetics of pressure process impact on safety and quality aspects of foods are indispensable. In this context, quantitative kinetic studies of the combined pressure and temperature effect on several food related aspects such as food quality related enzymes, pathogenic/spoilage microorganisms, nutritional and sensorial quality characteristics are required. Moreover, from an engineering point of view, such kinetic data are of major importance for evaluation of process uniformity, for process validation and process optimisation.