Model-based energy performance analysis of high pressure processing systems

The production of clean-label, minimally-processed and microbial-safe food products with excellent nutritional, organoleptic properties and extended shelf life is becoming increasingly important. High-pressure processing HPP is a promising technology in this regard, increasingly being deployed at commercial scale. To reduce per-unit HPP product costs, which are currently higher than those of traditional thermal systems, it is important to reduce energy usage, which constitutes a significant proportion of operating costs. The modelling scheme developed in this work would help process designers and operators determine optimal processing conditions with respect to energy consumption, while satisfying product quality and safety constraints; providing a basis for improved process automation.