UHP TECHNOLOGY-COMING TO THE FORE

Extending the life of fresh produce is the very foundation of global trade in these perishables. Modified Atmosphere Storage (MAS) under low temperature is at present the most widely used technology though satisfactory MAS conditions have yet to be worked out for many perishable commodities. Most critical issues are spoilage by microorganisms, surface contamination with pathogens and physiological changes that affect the sensory quality. The reported development of a process that uses very high pressure atmosphere during storage for destroying undesirable microorganisms in Avocado storage and transport in New Zealand is of some interest to all countries exporting perishable commodities from their shores.

"A new food preserving technology is set to double the shelf-life of avocados, create up to 80 new jobs and boost New Zealand's annual exports by 20 million dollars. Kiwi owned Fressure Foods plans to import Ultra High Pressure (UHP)processing technology which is used in more than 50 countries to increase the shelf life of locally grown avocados.Fressure Foods CEO Vern Dark says avocados usually last around 30 days but with the new technology his company will be able to extend this to 60 days, increasing local supply and export revenue. Dark says Ultra High Pressure treatment is also known as cold pasteurisation and uses pressures of up to 87,000 psi to shock and kill bacteria in food products".

Though technology-wise UHP has received wide acclamation, how far it will maintain the delicate texture of some of the fresh produce commodities remains unclear. For example can the delicate texture of Mango be preserved or how long it can be kept under UHP conditions, are questions that need clear answers. Same is true with regard to other perishables also. The claim that UHP technology uses less energy than the thermal processing technology requires independent confirmation. High investment for setting up UHP facilities can be a deterrent for wide scale adoption in many developing countries.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com