Can High Pressure Technology Make Hamburger Safer?

“Hailing a patent-pending process for a new line of fresh hamburger patties as a “natural option for food safety” and a “technological breakthrough,” meat-industry giant Cargill has begun using a method of high-pressure processing to produce its newly introduced “Fressure” hamburgers for food-service customers…

While high-pressure processing (generally referred to as HPP), is already being used on a wide array of food products, including ready-to-eat meats, salsas, guacamoles, juices, and shellfish, the patent-pending process developed by Cargill for fresh hamburger patties represents an impressive breakthrough, say food-safety scientists and HPP advocates.
The benefits of HPP include a reduction of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, extended shelf life, and fresh taste because HPP uses pressure instead of heat to process the food. As a result, preservatives and chemicals don’t need to be used in HPP food products.
Another plus is that because certain chemical bonds aren’t broken during HPP, no free radicals or chemical by-products are formed, both of which have become concerns for consumers. Yet, HPP doesn’t affect the structures of food components that are responsible for nutrition and flavor.
And because HPP doesn’t add anything to food, it doesn’t require approval from government regulators.”

(Source: foodsafetynews.com)