Miguel Meirelles de Oliveira

High-Pressure Technologies in Dairy Processing: Quality Maintenance and Increase in Consumption

Abstract Emerging technologies, such as high isostatic pressure and dynamic high pressure, have been widely studied in food processing. These technologies can be applied to several food products and ingredients in order to improve quality and increase the acceptance of processed foods. The main advantage is the replacement of thermal process by high-pressure process, aimed at the inactivation of microorganisms at room temperature. With this technology it is possible to replace the sensory changes caused by high temperature–produced foods with the characteristics of close-to-fresh foods, besides changing the structure and constituents. These changes have been studied in various foods, including milk and dairy products. The results show that depending on the conditions used with each technology, both processes can improve the consistency and increase water retention and emulsion stability in dairy products. The purpose of this chapter is to compare the evolution of these technologies in milk processing and discuss their application in improving the quality and acceptance of these products.