ABSTRACT
The food characteristics that must be attained in response to modem consumer demands are more freshness or fresh-like; fewer preservatives; less heat and chill damage; less acid; and less salt, sugar, and fat as well as foods without extreme treatments [1,2]. Safety and quality of foods should be based on substantial improvements in traditional preservation methods or the use of “emerging technologies.” One “new” or emerging technology receiving a great deal of attention is high-pressure (HP) processing. Studies examining the effects of high pressure on foods date back to the end of the 19th century, but renewed research and commercialization efforts worldwide could place HP-treated foods in several markets [3–6]. In April 1990, the first high-pressure product, a high-acid jam, was introduced to the Japanese retail market. In 1991, yogurts, fruit jellies, salad dressings, and fruit sauces were also introduced, and two Japanese fruit juice processors installed semicontinuous high-pressure equipment for citrus juice processing [7]. The unique physical and sensory properties of food processed by HP technology offer new chances for food product development, such as minimally processed or raw meat and fish, long shelf-life convenience foods with fresh and natural colors, new types of food gels, and frozen foods with improved quality [8].
