New Horizons For Food Safety: American Pasteurization Company and High Pressure Processing
In recent years, we have witnessed a large increase in the number of reported food-borne illnesses and outbreaks. As a result of improved governmental surveillance, aided by PulseNet and OutbreakNet, more food-borne illnesses and outbreaks are being identified. In turn, as food companies attempt to overcome these trends, new antimicrobial interventions are receiving even greater attention.
One of the most promising food safety technologies is a post-packaging pasteurization technique known as High Pressure Processing (“HPP”). HPP can be used for a wide variety of perishable foods, and works by uniformly applying up to 87,000 psi of hydrostatic pressure to prepackaged foods for up to three minutes. The application of high pressure to the product inactivates both spoilage microorganisms and harmful pathogens by causing the microbial cell membrane to become more porous, and by inactivating enzymes vital for microbial survival. This process, which the American Pasteurization Company (“APC”) has been performing on behalf of customers for years, reduces microorganisms and increases shelf-life significantly.
Notably, the USDA-FSIS currently regards high pressure processing as a valid intervention method for Listeria monocytogenes in prepackaged, ready-to-eat meat products. Because the pressure is hydrostatic (think of a grape in a bottle), there is no impact on the texture or flavor of products that are treated. Other applications include ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, guacamole, fresh salsa, humis, raw and marinated meats, seafood, oysters, dips, wet salads, and various cheese products. The list of appropriate uses and products, of course, continues to expand daily.
Additional benefits of HPP include:
- Dramatically increasing the safety of food products;
- Affording greatly enhanced brand equity protection;
- Extending the optimal freshness of food products using a non-thermal technology;
- Dramatic extension of shelf life;
- Allows reformulation to reduce or eliminate dependency on added microbial inhibitors;
- Facilitates the migration of many products from frozen to fresh; and
- For USDA plants, HPP is considered an effective intervention and helps processors comply with current Listeria regulations.
APC is the first company in the United States to offer HPP on a commercial tolling basis. This arrangement is extremely beneficial to customers because, once pre-packaged foods are received from customers and treated, the products can be custom labeled, packed and shipped directly from APC’s USDA-inspected facility to end-users. Moreover, recent advances in pressure equipment have significantly lowered the cost of use.
To date, APC has successfully processed more that 50 million pounds of food products for more than 30 separate food processors. APC is located in Milwaukee, and because it does not manufacture food (it only makes food safer), the company does not compete with its customers.
Thus, for food companies looking to utilize this new technology on a commercial tolling basis, without incurring the necessary infrastructure costs, don’t hesitate to contact Greg Zaja (of APC’s Research and Development Group) for more information.
Special thanks to APC (www.pressurefresh.com) for helping make our food safer.
