HPP – High Pressure Processing

What is HPP?

HPP has many benefits, as the logo shows by Hiperbaric. The logo was developed in 2017 to provide a standardized certificate for food safety. Customers can trust the company since the logo indicates high food safety standards, transparency of ingredients, and increasing nutrient-dense products. To also add, clean label foods, is transparency of ingredients, void of artificial ingredients, and lack of common allergens. This is a challenge that most food manufacturers face, as more and more consumers are demanding healthier ingredients. The HPP process has provided products that are clean label foods which answer consumers’ needs. For example, companies such as MUSH, Once Upon a Farm, and Evolution Fresh have been revolutionizing food processes by utilizing the HPP process. This process keeps the nutrients by using less heat, utilizes fewer preservatives, and increases food safety and shelf life.

Food science and future role in feeding the world – Part II – protein

The future of food is at a tipping point; dramatic increase in the world population, food shortage, food waste, and other issues, such as, providing the right nutrients for the world. As you’ve read in my previous blog, food science and the scientific community will solve these issues with innovative methods. That said, I’m going to focus this part of the blog on new protein sources:

1- Insect protein: This new protein source just started a few years ago. Insects and insect powder are now sold in stores and some restaurants are serving them on their menu. Insects have been popular in Africa for a long time. On the other hand, Europe and other countries are not accustomed to it because of the mindset; you can say the culture dictates how you approach food. Some countries accept insects while others don’t. We’ll see how things progress in the next 5 years with this new source of protein. As you can see below, insects are loaded with protein more than meat, high in Iron and calcium, other vitamins and amino acids. Plus, insect farming is sustainable and environmentally friendly as it requires less water and resources to produce it.

Food science and future role in feeding the world I

Image credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The world is facing increasing food insecurities and production shortage issues, and food science will be called to address many of the challenges that we will face in the future, as frontiers in nutrition mentions, “The United Nations projected that by 2050 the world population would reach 9.6 billion. The 60+ adult population will constitute 19% (2 billion) and 27% (3 billion) of world population by 2050 and 2100, respectively.” The next 30 years there will be more advancement in food science such as reducing food waste, nanostructure in food and a change in food laws as we are facing more food safety issues in the food supply. IFT continues by saying, “During the 2009 World Summit on Food Security, it was recognized that by 2050 food production must increase by about
70%—34% higher than it is today—to feed the anticipated 9 billion people (FAO 2009a).”