Hiperbaric and CSIRO unveil canister for high pressure thermal processing (HPTP)

Hiperbaric, the global leader in high pressure technologies, has unveiled an innovation that is expected to transform food processing and preservation - High Pressure Thermal Processing (HPTP).

Invented by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization ) Australia's national science agency, and further developed by Hiperbaric, HPTP combines the microbial lethality of heat with the rapid speed of high pressure into one revolutionary system.

At the core of HPTP is a canister patented by CSIRO that adds mild heat to existing Hiperbaric High Pressure Processing (HPP) machines. The canister is capable of withstanding extreme pressure (87,000psi / 6,000 bar) and temperature conditions (>90 °C), while keeping food products completely isolated from the surrounding water medium used. The process is simple and compatible with all existing Hiperbaric HPP machines – preheat the canister and food, hermetically seal, then use ultra-high pressure to rapidly achieve sterilisation temperatures.

With the new canister in High Pressure Thermal Processing (HPTP), Hiperbaric aims to revolutionise shelf-stable foods and beverages, providing exceptional quality that was previously only possible for refrigerated items. 

This innovation is suitable for making some products microbiologically safe using far less heat compared to conventional food preservation technologies. Unlike conventional thermal pasteurisation methods, HPTP enables sterilisation at lower temperatures, maintaining the natural flavor, nutrients, and visual appeal of products.

This proprietary canister will enable a wide variety of products to benefit from the advantages of HPTP in a shelf-stable format.

By precisely controlling pressure and temperature, HPHT delivers major advantages including rapidly inactivating pathogens and spores to enable shelf-stable low acid products, preserving nutrition and flavor better than standard heat methods, reducing processing contaminants that can occur at high heat, and achieving commercial sterilisation up to ten times faster than conventional canning based on research.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with CSIRO, a world leader in scientific research, on this cutting-edge canister technology," said Dr. Carole Tonello, VP of Business Development, Hiperbaric. "It represents a major breakthrough that will expand the applications for HPTP and help our food manufacturing partners deliver incredibly fresh-tasting, shelf-stable foods to consumers."

Dr Kai Knoerzer, Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO, added "At CSIRO, we are committed to scientific excellence and innovation that can benefit industries globally. This project leverages our deep expertise in food processing, safety, and packaging to help bring a truly game-changing advancement to the market. We look forward to seeing the exceptional products this technology will enable."

With this new technology showcased in PACK EXPO Las Vegas(11-13 September), Hiperbaric aims to revolutionise shelf-stable foods and beverages, providing exceptional quality that was previously only possible for refrigerated items.