High pressure processing for poultry offers increased food safety

High pressure processing uses elevated pressure levels as a kill step for pathogens and other spoilage organisms, resulting in sustainability through longer shelf life and less food waste. (Photo courtesy: Avure Technologies)

Concern for better food safety and the use of fewer preservatives in poultry and other meat, both ready to eat and raw, is a challenge some companies are meeting with high pressure processing. The process uses elevated pressure levels as a kill step for pathogens and other spoilage organisms, resulting in sustainability through longer shelf life and less food waste.
The use of up to 87,000 pounds of pressure per square inch eliminates the need for the certain preservatives, which also answers to current consumer demands.
HPP is experiencing huge growth, especially as consumer habits are trending toward fresh and healthy while maintaining convenience, said Glenn Hewson, vice president of global marketing for Avure Technologies Inc., a company that offers custom high pressure processing systems.
The company assists meat processors in moving to HPP systems, from product development through market launch.
Tyson, Perdue Farms and Cargill are a few of the companies using this type of processing. Cargill's Fressure fresh ground beef patties, for example, use no preservatives or high heat and have a "double-the-industry-average shelf life," according to the company.