Safety first: how HPP can help keep seafood pathogen free

What is High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) and why can it deliver extraordinary benefits for seafood processors? Cold pasteurization in pure water – better known as HPP – is a system which uses ultra-high pressure purified water to keep seafood both shell and pathogen free. In the process, it helps lobsters, oysters and other seafood and shellfish stay fresh longer.For customers working in the seafood industry, deadly bacteria such as Listeria and Salmonella can be an all-too-real risk, bringing with them the risk of destroying reputations and endangering consumer health. In the oyster industry in particular, Vibrio bacteria poses a high risk for the consumption of raw oysters and other shellfish. 

HPP uses very high pressures to inactivate potentially harmful bacteria, making seafood products safe to eat. But more than just increasing food safety, HPP can help processors extend shelf-life while providing consumers with nutritious, natural, flavorful food.

Huge benefits These are just some of the benefits of HPP that Dr Errol Raghubeer, from JBT Avure HPP, will be highlighting during a presentation at Seafood Processing North America, which takes place in Boston, USA from March 12-14, 2023.

“Seafood processors can reap extraordinary benefits through the application of high pressure to enhance product offerings and expand market opportunities,” explains Dr Raghubeer. “HPP is already extensively used in the lobster and oyster industries for the extraction of meat with limited or no manual labor.”

Preserving quality Equally effective across a range of seafood categories from lobster, crab, shrimp and oysters through to fish, salted cod, mussels and clams, HPP allows 100% product yield without loss of product quality and nutritional benefits. 

In the case of shellfish, HPP separates 100% of meat from the shells without the use of heat, while it also increases total meat yield in lobster by 80% compared to heat-based pasteurization systems. However, HPP’s uses don’t end there. The system can also be used for the inactivation of Anisakis and other parasites in sushi-grade seafood, while salted cod can be desalted and HPP-treated to extend its shelf-life and enable home-cooking on purchase.

JBT Avure HPP will be exhibiting at Seafood Processing North America in Booth 989 from March 12-14, 2023 in Boston, USA. Dr Errol Raghubeer will speaking on the “Benefits of HPP for Seafood” on March 13 at 9:15 AM.LEARN MORE about JBT Avure HPP benefits for seafood