ABSTRACT
The effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on bio-materials has been studied extensively and ever since the report on the effect of pressure on the preservation of milk was published in 1899 (Hite 1899), Bridgman (1914) reported on the coagulation of egg albumen by HHP-treatment and Hite (1914) reported on the effect of pressure on microorganisms in the preservation of fruits and vegetables. Since these early reports, however, it was nearly after a century that HHP-treatment was fi rst introduced to the food industry (Hayashi et al. 1987). Thereafter, research and development on HHP food processing accelerated in Japan, and also worldwide. In 1990, the fi rst HHP-treated foods (fruit jams) were commercialized in Japan, and other HHP-treated foods followed in the rest of the world. Recently, various HHP-treated foods have been put in the market: jams, hams and sausages, instant rice packs, shucked oysters and clams, smoothies (fruit beverages), etc. (San Martín et al. 2002).
