High-pressure processing (HPP) entails the pasteurization of food using pressure in the 100e600 MPa
range, which results in a reduction of microbial loads and thus extends the shelf life of the processed
food. Under HPP, natural flavors can be retained to provide food of superior quality and nutritional value.
All food-processing techniques must conform to sanitation and safety-related specifications before they
can be employed in food and commercially applied. The pasteurization settings and control of conventional
thermal processing techniques have been practically applied. Furthermore, appropriate heatresistant
strains can be selected as target microorganisms to verify the sanitation and ensure effective
food safety. However, HPP is still an emerging processing technique, necessitating further investigation of
its related scientific theories, parameter standards, and commercial applications. Therefore, the scientific
theories behind HPP should be fully understood before appropriate parameter conditions such as
pressure, temperature, time, and pH can be accurately selected. Among these, the pressure-resistant
characteristics of various microorganisms, as well as their potential physiological response to HPP, are
key factors that must be considered when developing HPP foods. As reviewed in this paper, the pressureresistant
characteristics of microorganisms can facilitate the selection of target microorganisms, which
can provide a reference for setting pasteurization conditions during food HPP, and reduce the possible
unanticipated food safety issues caused by microorganisms after HPP.