High pressure processing-based hurdle strategy for microbial shelf life of packed food in the Cold Chain

Food processing usually involves more than one approach to inhibit microbial growth and reduce the possible unanticipated food safety issues caused by microorganisms. The combination of multiple technologies as hurdles is the best processing strategy to meet the requirements of production microbial safety, quality, and nutrition. High-pressure processing (HPP) is a nonthermal pasteurization method capable of inactivating and eliminating pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in food and beverage, which is performed at low temperatures after product packaging. Therefore, HPP can easily be used as the last hurdle in combination with other processing technologies as long as the packaging materials can tolerate the high-pressure treatment. The combination can reduce the intensity of other hurdles without affecting the sensory properties of the food, lower the defect rate, reduce the use of food additives, and extend the shelf lives of the products. This article introduces the current research progress on the application of the combination of HPP and other hurdles including temperature, pH, antimicrobial agents, and modified atmosphere packaging in vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy products, beverages, and other processed foods. The HPP-based hurdle strategy may facilitate the food production process to achieve clean labeling, as customers have increasingly been seeking safe and healthy novel foods with fewer additives.