JBT Marel Avure Technologies on Tuesday announced its findings on the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) on nutritional components in fruit, vegetables and herbs compared to thermal treatment.
By processing foods at extremely high water pressure, HPP inactivates harmful pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes. This gives consumers safer packaged fruit and vegetable products with fresh, just-prepared characteristics without additives or preservatives. HPP is applied in the product’s final packaging, eliminating the risk of contamination and protecting producers and consumers from recalls.
Working with clients based around the world, Avure Technologies concluded that HPP did not affect the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds in juices at different HPP treatment conditions. Regarding consumer taste acceptability, there was no significant difference in the flavor of HPP-processed apple and orange juices after three months in storage compared to fresh juice after one week – yielding a 99% confidence level. As a result, HPP products’ nutritional and sensory qualities are similar to fresh foods but are safer with a longer shelf-life.
Additional Avure HPP studies have concluded:
- In partnership with the University of British Colombia, a microbiology and nutritional study found HPP to be effective in reducing the microbial load while not adversely altering the chemical and bioactive function of active nutritional constituents.
- In a collaborative project with CSIRO (Food Science Australia), Avure showed that HPP has little to no effects on sensorial properties in fruit and vegetable products.
- An additional published study found that HPP-treated passion fruit puree retained better color quality and antioxidants compared to thermal processing.
“We know consumers prioritize buying foods based on healthfulness now more than ever,” said Dr. Errol Raghubeer, VP of food science and microbiology, JBT Marel. “Unlike heat treatment, HPP is a viable cold-process technology that is increasingly used in the food and beverage industry to ensure the safety of foods, increase the microbiological shelf-life and extend product quality without damaging the nutritional properties of food.”
JBT Marel’s Avure Technologies HPP systems process a large portion of food and beverage products in every corner of the world. HPP-processed foods and beverages meet consumer preferences for freshness, flavor, nutrition, and safety by retaining essential vitamins and enzymes typically lost during thermal processing. For more information, please visit www.jbtc.com/foodtech/products-and-solutions/brands/avure-technologies.