Fresher Under Pressure Food Safety

In addition to food safety, HPP provides a cost- and labor-saving productivity benefit for shellfish. The effect of pressure, at about 45,000 psi (300 MPa), causes the oyster, clam or mussel meat to separate from its shell, so it is "automatically" shucked. It's much easier to open the shell and remove the shellfish, which is not punctured by a sharp shucking knife, or shocked by intense thermal treatments. This is a major advantage for shellfish processors.

This lower pressure level will inactivate dangerous pathogens found in shellfish, like the Vibrio bacteria that can contaminate Gulf of Mexico oysters. Recently, California adopted regulations that require Gulf oysters to be processed using an approved post-harvest lethality treatment to reduce Vibrio bacteria to non-detectable levels. Avure's HPP technology is one of the approved technologies that can be used by processors to meet that requirement and be permitted in the California marketplace.

HPP is now being used for exciting new applications such as raw lobster meat. After the effects of pressure on freshly-harvested lobster, the meat can be easily removed "whole" from the crustacean's shell. This provides a premium product that can be marketed in fresh or frozen condition. This new seafood category is made possible only by HPP. This raw lobster meat is especially prized by fine chefs. Now, they can use lobster meat in gourmet dishes-without cooking the lobster first.

Click here to learn more about Avure's Shellfish applications.
Click here to learn more about Avure's Seafood applications.