BacPress | NMBU

Improving high pressure processing (HPP) of sensitive high-value foods to prolong shelf life and food quality.

Timeframe

31 Aug 2023 - 31 Jan 2025

Research Group

Funding

Norwegian Research Council

Faculty

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About the project

Background
Long shelf life and optimal food quality is currently not achievable with today’s food preservation methods. For many sensitive high value products such as fresh fish, extended shelf life is a significant barrier due to contamination of Listeria during processing. Listeria poses a particular challenge as it can grow under refrigeration temperatures and can survive mild heat treatment and conventional high pressure processing (HPP). Additionally, Listeria has a remarkable ability to respond and recover after exposure to conventional high pressure processing strategies. Researchers at Nofima, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) have solved this challenge by developing a novel and patentable technology that greatly improved conventional high pressure processing. We expect this improvement to HPP, the BacPress technology, to be a small revolution for the food industry.

Aim
The BacPress project seeks to verify that the results obtained in a controlled laboratory setting can be replicated in a real life environment together with industry.