ABSTRACT
Foods based on combined preservation methods are prevalent in industrialized as well as in developing countries. Often hurdle technology is applied empirically without knowing much about the governing principles of the preservation of a particular food. Intermediate-moisture foods are prevalent in developing countries, whereas in industrialized countries high-moisture foods are common, because they are often only minimally processed and due to their fresh-like properties and convenience are appealing to the consumer. The results of hurdle technology are most obvious in high-moisture foods, which become shelf-stable at ambient temperature due to an intelligent application of combined methods for preservation. Consumers demand healthy foods, which shall contain less fat, salt, and cholesterol. Packaging is an important hurdle for most foods since it supports microbial stability and safety as well as the sensory quality of the products. The application of hurdle technology is useful for the optimization of traditional foods as well as in the development of novel products.
