ABSTRACT
High-pressure processing technology has been used to destroy microorganisms and extend the shelf life of foods (Toepfl et al., 2006). High-pressure treatment can be used for the preservation of packaged foods as an alternative to thermal treatment. Unlike thermal treatment, high-pressure treatment, which can treat foods at an ambient temperature, can maintain the quality of fresh foods with little effect on their sensory and nutritional values. Hydrostatic pressure treatment is uniform and instantaneous. During high-pressure treatment, no deformation occurs on packaged foods because the extremely high pressures are isostatic-even on all sides and surfaces of the package. High-pressure treatment is independent of the size, shape, and composition of foods (Norton and Sun, 2008). Another high-pressure application in the food industry is high-pressure freezing and thawing. High-pressure assisted freezing and thawing offer unique opportunities for product development and product quality improvement (Lebail et al., 2002a; Urrutia et al., 2007). In this chapter, the highpressure processing mechanism and applications are reviewed. The energy consumption and energy conservation opportunities related to high-pressure processes in the food industry are discussed.
