(HHPCO)- High Hydrostatic Pressure and packaging under CO2 atmosphere technology

• Results and achievements
   

• Quality improvement of the ready-to-use vegetable dishes by HPPCO processing technology.

   

• More efficient inactivation of enzymatic activities related to quality and stability during cold storage of vegetable foods processed by HPPCO.

   

• High pressure processing combined with temperature and modified atmosphere packaging rich in carbon dioxide produce a significant reduction of at least 5 Log units in the counts of different pathogens inoculated (Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enteritidis) in ready-to-use vegetable dishes.
   

• High pressure processing combined with modified atmosphere packaging rich in carbon dioxide increased the shelf-life of ready-to-use vegetable dishes compared with the thermal treated products.
   

• HHPCO technology is compatible with semi-rigid and low permeability plastic containers type cups with three layers (PP/EVOH/PP) and flexible packaging type doypack (PST/PVD/PE).

   

• Promising applications
   

• Cold Pasteurization of grilled red and yellow peppers

• Cold Pasteurization of mixed grilled vegetable dishes

   In general, the HPPCO is a promising technology in ready-to-use vegetable dishes, fresh, and previously grilled or cooked. The pressurized products maintain a high quality standard related to microbiological and enzymatic quality, and the period of commercialization could be more than 75 days at refrigerated temperatures.