June 23, 2009, Leduc, Alta – The Food Processing Development Centre in
Leduc is now home to the only publicly-accessible commercial-scale High
Pressure Processing (HPP) machine in Canada.
June 23, 2009, Leduc, Alta – The Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc is now home to the only publicly-accessible commercial-scale High Pressure Processing (HPP) machine in Canada.
|
|
HPP is an environmentally-friendly technology used in food preservation, food safety and the development of new food products and processes.
High pressure processing applies extremely high pressures, without heat, to food products. The fresh appearance, flavour, textural attributes and nutrient content of food products are maintained because heat is not used. Similar to canning and pasteurization, HPP increases food safety through the elimination of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp.
During HPP, products are loaded into a high-pressure vessel, which is filled with water to reach pressures up to 87,000 psi; after two to five minutes the vessel is depressurized and the products are unloaded. HPP can be carried out on the final packaged product, which prevents any risk of potential contamination.
In Canada, HPP is approved for use with ready meals and applesauce. The Food Processing Development Centre is developing an HPP program to assist in research, development, and commercialization in the areas of fruits and vegetables, cereals and grains, and meat products.
Print this page
