A who’s who in the high pressure processing segment of the food industry gathered in Chicago to form the Cold Pressure Council, a trade group that will develop and formalize best practices for cold pressure technology and promote the use of a “Cold-Pressure Verified” seal to help consumers easily identify products. Cold pressure refers to the process of using high pressure processing (HPP) instead of heat pasteurization to preserve food.
“The formation of the Cold Pressure Council demonstrates the remarkable growth of HPP”
“The formation of the Cold Pressure Council demonstrates the remarkable growth of HPP,” said Lisa Pitzer, Marketing Director-HPP for JBT. Cold Pressure Technology has expanded to become an ever-growing part of many producers’ food safety and food preservation programs.”
The demand for cold pressure technology is escalating as more consumers are looking for healthier, clean label options in products that retain all the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that might be damaged with heat pasteurization. This has become especially predominant in the juice and beverage arena, which now represents about 20 percent of the dollar value of foods that use cold pressure technology.
Increasing sales of “ready-to-eat” (RTE) products and “grab-and-go” snacks, increasing concern over food safety and consumers’ desire to eliminate chemical preservatives are making an impact as well. The high pressure processing equipment market is projected to reach a value of $500.3 million by 2022, according to a recent report from Markets and Markets.
The FDA, USDA, Health Canada, EU and other authoritative regulatory bodies recognize cold pressure technology as a viable option for preserving freshness and increasing shelf life without preservatives, and there over 385 HPP machines currently operating worldwide including 204 in North America.
The council hopes to improve understanding of the techniques and solutions being used to provide fresh, safe, clean-label foods and beverages to the marketplace. More information on the Cold Pressure Council can be found at www.coldpressurecouncil.org.
