Company promotes high-pressure preservation.

A new company is promoting high-pressure food preservation technology throughout the Australian food industry and worldwide as well. Australian High Pressure Processors Pty Ltd. is working with Food Science Australia researchers to encourage the use of high-pressure processing (HPP) techniques to kill pathogenic and spoilage bacteria and other organisms.

The intense pressure created by HPP causes fatal damage to yeasts, bacteria and molds. HPP is an alternative to thermal treatment or chemical preservatives that can sometimes adversely affect the flavor, color and composition of food. Pressure-processed foods have better flavor, texture, nutrition retention and color compared to thermally processed foods. The treatment of foods under high pressure is uniform, thus allowing processing of non-pumpable foods, such as meat products.

Food Science Australia acquired the first HPP unit in Australia from U.S.-based Avure Technologies about two years ago. Investigators have used the 2-L unit to determine the viability of HPP on a range of foods, including seafood, fruit products and meat.

The new company's managing director, Mark Styan, became aware of HPP during a visit to Food Science Australia laboratories. "HPP foods are already commercially available in Europe, Japan and the U.S.A. I thought HPP could have great potential in Australia so I organized several trials to be conducted by the researchers at Food Science Australia," said Styan. "We have purchased a 215-L HPP unit and are approaching food companies who may benefit from the technology. We have already received interest from seafood and meat processors in South Australia," he added. Food Science Australia and the new company have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to support the introduction of HPP to Australian food manufacturers.

Researchers from Food Science Australia will act as technical advisors to the new firm. Food Science Australia's new Innovative Foods Center offers HPP systems ranging from 2-ML kinetic cells to a 35-L pilot plant.

HP-processed guacamole and oysters are commercially available in the United States. A number of pressure-treated fruit juices, meat and jam products are commercially available in the European and Japanese markets. Numerous U.S. companies are also actively pursuing the potential of using this pressure processing to enhance the quality and safety of their products. This technique permits the formulation of novel consumer-desired food products that are not possible through conventional processing methods.

Further information. Martin Cole, Food Science Australia, 11 Julius Ave., North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. Michael Burfield, Australian High Pressure Processors Pty. Ltd., 60 Hawker Rd., Burton, South Australia 5110 Australia; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].