Since the 2011 update to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), pet food producers must meet stricter safety rules. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires a five-log reduction in harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, and Clostridium botulinum for shelf-stable pet foods.
“FDA will ask manufacturers to use effective methods to control these pathogens,” said Daniela Soto, HPP food specialist at Hiperbaric, during Petfood Forum 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Traditional thermal methods like retort have been the standard for creating shelf-stable products. However, they use high heat over long periods, which can affect food quality.
“Retort processing has limitations due to the high thermal load and long processing times,” Soto said.
Alternative non-thermal methods have their own issues. UV treatment only works on surfaces. Bacteriophage applications may not reduce pathogens enough. Fermentation changes taste and smell, while offering limited safety benefits. HPP is effective but requires refrigeration and may cause color changes in raw meat.
HPTP overcomes many of these challenges by blending high pressure with moderate heat. “With HPTP, we can sterilize faster than retort due to the high pressure, and we reduce thermal load and processing time,” Soto explained.
In practice, food is first heated in special containers, then subjected to pressures up to 6,000 bars while held at high temperatures. This allows the product to reach sterilization temperatures in far less time than conventional methods.
Pet food companies can use HPTP in two main ways: to process raw products into frozen or refrigerated items that can later be freeze-dried for shelf stability, or as a final step after cooking to reduce pathogens and prevent recontamination.
As food safety requirements grow more complex, HPTP offers a promising solution to meet standards without sacrificing quality.
Related topics:
