Extending the Shelf Life of the Fresh Produce up to 3 months, required special treatment, which is possible with HPP technology. The technology is also known as cold pasteurization. According to IDRO, this treatment reduces losses and extends the shelf life of fresh products, allowing them to stay in perfect condition for up to 90 days.
Processing by high hydrostatic pressures (HPP) is one of the emerging technologies that has grown the most in recent years, within the food sector. Nowadays it is a recognized technology all over the world and it has become a very useful tool for exporting companies of packaged products. The HPP system is the technological innovation that will help the products stand out and stand out from the rest.
HPP technology, also known as cold pasteurization, allows you to preserve fresh foods without resorting to chemicals or treatments that change the product, keeping its properties intact.
Due to this problem that many fresh food producers face is that they cannot distribute their products to more distant markets, since the shelf life of the fruits or vegetables does not allow it. This severely reduces the market options compared to those available to large distributors. Also, the costs involved in the production process and the care given to each piece that is distributed are not the same as those of a large-scale producer, who resorts to harmful chemicals and preservatives which take a toll on the product's quality.
But in recent years, the use of HPP technology has promised to revolutionize the fresh fruit and vegetable market. Applying it to fresh food makes it possible to maintain its organoleptic properties without adding chemicals or subjecting it to processes that can damage its flavour and freshness.
Due to the fierce competition in the food industry, fresh food producers are looking for new ways to differentiate themselves and fight against the big processed food industries.
This is where the company IDRO appears on stage. The firm is a specialist in the use of HPP technology in food and its subsequent distribution. Thanks to this cold pasteurization process, they assure that the product enjoys more marketing options, helping improve the competitiveness of producers who bet on fresh and healthier foods.
What many producers wondered is whether their food could lose its quality and taste during the process, but it was scientifically proven that cold pasteurization does not affect the vitamins, the taste or the quality; just the opposite. The process inactivates harmful pathogens, such as salmonella or E. coli.
It all started when avocado growers decided to apply the technology to this very delicate fruit. They aimed for the avocados to be kept fresh for longer, but without any changes in their ripeness. Shortly after, it was applied to avocado halves, and thanks to HPP technology, these had a shelf life of 30 days; a really interesting fact.
The cold pasteurization process is simple. Firstly, the food product is vacuum-packed; once it arrives at the facility, it is subjected to high hydrostatic pressures with the HPP equipment. By using water, the food is subjected to a pressure of 6000 bars (equivalent to the one at the deepest point of the Mariana Trench); then the container is dried and prepared to be distributed by the company itself.
The use of this simple process is not yet widespread because setting up these facilities in your own company entails a very high cost; that is why IDRO makes its facilities available to all producers (they rent their facilities), so that any producer can use this technology without them having to make an non-viable investment.
This idea is totally innovative and makes it possible to significantly reduce both the production costs (reducing waste) and the food's distribution costs, as the company also offers a distribution service.
Consequently, we can consider this option as beneficial for the consumer, as they will be able to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables in some places where they were so far unavailable due to the distance and the short shelf life of the products.
