High Pressure Processing in Food Microbiology

High pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal preservation technology that employs pressures of 200–600 MPa to inactivate spoilage organisms and foodborne pathogens while retaining nutritional and sensory qualities. Microbial inactivation under HPP arises primarily from perturbation of cell membranes, denaturation of proteins and enzymes, and disruption of ribosomal function. Sensitivity varies by species, strain and food matrix, making validation studies essential for each product. Integration of HPP into hurdle approaches often lowers required pressure levels or treatment times by combining mild heat, acidity or natural antimicrobials. Industrial applications span fresh juices, ready-to-eat meats, dairy and seafood, delivering extended shelf life and enhanced safety without thermal damage. Ongoing research aims to refine process parameters, elucidate resistance mechanisms and broaden the scope to spore inactivation and probiotic protection.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent work has uncovered genetic routes to elevated pressure resistance in foodborne bacteria. In particular, evolutionary experiments with Escherichia coli revealed that attenuation of the cyclic AMP–CRP regulatory system can restore or exceed wild-type resistance independently of the RpoS stress regulator. Mutants with reduced cAMP/CRP activity displayed cross-resistance to fosfomycin, underscoring a link between pressure adaptation and antibiotic susceptibility. These insights provide molecular targets for risk assessment and highlight the evolutionary plasticity of pathogens exposed to HPP in food environments.

High Pressure Processing in Food Microbiology publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in high pressure processing in food microbiology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP): A food processing method using compressive pressures (200–600 MPa) to inactivate microorganisms without heat.

Piezotolerance: The inherent ability of a microbial cell to survive and grow under elevated hydrostatic pressures.

Sublethal injury: Partial damage to cells that impairs function but does not immediately cause death, often repairable under favourable conditions.

Hurdle technology: A preservation strategy combining multiple mild treatments (e.g. pressure, heat, antimicrobials) to achieve microbial inactivation synergistically.

References

1. Mechanisms of pressure-mediated cell death and injury in Escherichia coli: from fundamentals to food applications. Frontiers in Microbiology (2015).
2. RpoS-independent evolution reveals the importance of attenuated cAMP/CRP regulation in high hydrostatic pressure resistance acquisition in E. coli. Scientific Reports (2017).
3. Microbial species and strain heterogeneity affect resistance to high pressure processing. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies (2024).
4. Enumeration Agar, Acid Exposure and Sampling Time Are Relevant Factors Accounting for the High-Pressure Inactivation of Vegetative Pathogens in Fruit Puree. Foods (2024).
5. Pasteurization of Food and Beverages by High Pressure Processing (HPP) at Room Temperature: Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Other Microbial Pathogens. Applied Sciences (2023).