On the other hand, HPP is not effective as a kill step against all microbial forms. Spore-forming organisms are highly resistant to HPP when they are in their spore form, and a combination of pressure and heat, or some other antibacterial intervention, is required to achieve any reduction
of bacterial spores in foods. Of particular concern are spores of the organism Clostridium botulinum, which can germinate, grow, and produce a highly potent paralytic neurological toxin in low acid foods.
It is important to note that the composition of the food product plays an important role in the effectiveness of the HPP treatment against microorganisms, as well as the type of organisms which may be able to grow or survive in the product, and should be carefully considered when evaluating the use of HPP as a kill step for a specific food product (see The NFL’s white paper entitled “Validating My High Pressure Process Treatment” for more information).
Regulatory Requirements: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) each have a number of regulatory requirements which are specifically tailored to address food safety issues associated with foods. These regulations target specific categories of food based upon both the composition of the food and the storage conditions for the food which, as previously mentioned, impact the microorganisms which could be present or survive in the food. Some of these regulations include the following: