Dive Brief:
- A Cold Pressure Verified logo is now available for members of the Cold Pressure Council who can verify that they properly use high-pressure processing in their food manufacturing, according to ProFood World.
- A council member that has received verification from a third party of its processes, hazard analysis and critical control points plan and validation studies can license the use of the new logo, which the council expects major brands to start doing next spring. There will a licensing fee per SKU.
- Jeff Williams, council chair and CEO of Avure Technologies, told ProFood World the diverse and growing HPP industry is now worth $12 billion per year, with 60% of the market in North America. Meat and poultry make up the largest portion of the group, he added, followed by juices and beverages and then fruits, vegetables and dips.
Dive Insight:
The Cold Pressure Council formed about a year ago "to lead, facilitate and promote industry standardization, user education and consumer awareness of High Pressure Processing," according to the group's mission statement. Like most industry organizations, the council wants membership to mean something, and this logo and the certification process it represents is one way to make that happen.
Most consumers may not know about HPP, but it's become a critical part of today's food manufacturing processes. It uses extreme pressure to preserve taste and freshness and limit harmful pathogens It is particularly popular for raw juices. The process has been used since the 1990s and can replace high-temperature processing techniques for foods and beverages.
Because HPP runs cold, it doesn’t alter food taste, texture or quality. It doesn't need lots of chemicals for products to stay fresh. Even better, it can extend shelf two or three times longer than traditional preservation methods. It is expensive, however, with some units costing up to $3 million — although there are firms that use the equipment to provide co-packing for multiple clients.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, high pressure processing subjects liquid and solid foods, with or without packaging, to pressures between 100 and 800 MPa — which is more than the amount of pressure that can be felt at the deepest part of the ocean. This level of pressure destroys organisms that could spoil food — including bacteria, yeasts and molds — and enzymes, which can lead to food degradation during storage.
The Cold Pressure Council is focused on bolstering membership and expanding consumer education and messaging in North America, but it has long-term plans to become a global organization for the HPP industry. Williams told ProFood World the group aims to have the HPP certification logo represent value to the consumer and be easily recognized, similar to the logo or symbol on organic or non-GMO food products. If the program catches on with the council's members — and consumers become more aware of what HPP actually means — that goal may not be all that far off.