H.P.P. Cold Pressed

Contents

• Preface
• What is HPP?
• How does HPP work?
• Lifetime of HPP
• Why HPP in juice?
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Myths about HPP
• What does this mean for Dr. Blend?
• More information?

Preface

We always want more tasty and healthy food. But how can we keep products fresh without losing their nutritional value? Until now, the shelf life of products was extended by heating (pasteurisation). Research has shown that nutritional value and taste are lost. This is where HPP (high pressure processing) comes in.

With the new HPP technology, it is now possible to preserve fresh products without loss of nutritional value. With this (gentle) preservation technique (also known as pascalisation), the product remains tasty and healthy, because the taste and all the nutrients are preserved.

What is HPP?

HPP/High Pressure Processing is a preservation technique for foodstuffs, such as juices.

In short, HPP is a natural food preservative that eliminates and/or neutralises listeria, salmonella, E-coli and other pathogens through extremely high water pressure.

The HPP preservation technique is known for its low temperature and high pressure involved. The high water pressure inactivates harmful pathogens and spoilage micro-organisms. Through the use of low temperature, the positive nutritional value and natural sensory properties of the product are preserved.

How does the high-pressure treatment work?

HPP extends the shelf life and kills at least 99.999% of the micro-organisms in the juice. This is called a “5-log reduction” (source: https://microchemlab.com/information/log-and-percent-reductions-microbiology-and-antimicrobial-testing).

How does HPP work, step by step?

The raw juice is pressed and then bottled in plastic bottles (Note: HPP is not the actual juice making process, but a preservation step).

The plastic juice bottles are loaded into a giant tube. This tube is filled with water and the bottles are then pressurised to 6000 bar.

The pressure is delivered between one minute and a few. This depends on the settings and the ingredients of the juices. The pressure is then released from the tube.

Then the juice bottles come out the other side. The use of HPP kills 99.999% of harmful micro-organisms.

Watch a short animated video on what HPP is and how it works.

Shelf life

This production method extends the shelf life of juices to no less than 15 days. The special thing about HPP is that the shelf life of juices made with this technology is considerably longer. The shelf life of most juices produced without HPP is 2 to 3 days. Dr. Blend’s healthy juices can be stored for up to 15 days using this special technique.

Why HPP in juice?

Cold-pressed HPP (high pressure treatment) is a gentle preservation technique. This means that the bottles filled with cold-pressed juice are placed in the tubes of the machine, after which the machine is hermetically sealed. The cold water pressure is then increased to a maximum of 6,000 bar.

The recipe for our juices determines the exact pressure and processing time in the HPP machine. The high pressure ensures that yeast and bacteria are removed without compromising the fresh taste of the juice, and that vitamins and nutritional values are preserved. In addition, this production method extends the shelf life of the juice to as much as 15 days.

Benefits

Healthier

Due to the high pressure on the bottles, many harmful bacteria and enzymes are removed from the juice.

Shelf life

If you follow our storage instructions, the bottles can be stored in the refrigerator (out of the freezer) for up to 15 days after the production date. However, make sure you follow the storage instructions and that the bottles are closed (unopened).

Less energy needed

Pascalisation also requires less energy for the preservation technique, making it one of the cleanest and most energy efficient preservation techniques available today.

Safer

With HPP, a 5-log reduction of micro-organisms in the juice can be achieved. Potentially harmful bacteria in these juices are : E. Coli, salmonella and others. When there are harmful bacteria in the raw juice, HPP can generally make it safe because the high pressure eliminates them.

More sustainable

Juices do not need to be kept in the freezer (on average -18°C), but in the refrigerator (4°C). This makes a significant difference in the durability of the product as much less energy is needed to store the juices.

In addition, with HPP, up to 20% less food is wasted. Because of the longer shelf life, there is less waste (longer shelf life). Research shows that a shorter expiry date means much more waste, which leads to a lot of food waste.

“The advantage of HPP juice is that it stays fresh up to ten times longer without changing its taste, appearance or texture. Or all nutrients and vitamins are completely preserved.

The disadvantages

High cost

The high cost of an HPP machine, it costs between $800,000 and $2 million. The bigger the sales, the cheaper it is. That’s why we can always offer the juices at a lower cost, in most cases even cheaper than competitors who do not have HPP machines.

Use of plastic bottles

Because the HPP applies high pressure, it can only be used on plastic bottles. It is therefore not possible to apply HPP to glass bottles. These will burst when placed under such pressure. This can have a negative effect on the environment.

However, we have found a solution to this by using bottles made of 75% Pet and 25% bio sourced.

Lots of water used

HPP machines use a lot of water to put the bottles under high pressure. In general, water waste can occur here.

However, in our company, this water is captured and the vast majority is used. The remaining water is then used to water the land in the surrounding areas.

Myths about HPP

HPP adds nutrients or chemicals

In contrast, HPP or High Pressure Processing has both environmental and economic benefits. Apart from the HPP machine, the technology only needs water and electricity. Thus, bacteria are neutralised without the use of chemicals.

Taste change

HPP does not change the texture or taste of the juice. For example, juices do not become more watery because high pressure is applied by means of water as no additional additions are made. The bottles are completely sealed during the process. This keeps the taste, as well as all the healthy ingredients, intact.

HPP is harmful to health

Nonsense! Because of the pressure on the bottles, it is better for your health because it kills unhealthy bacteria. No agents are ever added to the juice, the ingredients remain 100% fresh and raw.

In fact, in America, juices sold in bottles (not by the glass) and not pasteurised even have an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) warning label. This is because American food products have to meet even stricter requirements than in the European Union.

“WARNING: This product has not been pasteurised and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.” (source: https://www.fda.gov/food/buy -store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-to-know-about-juice-safety)

Is HPP less fresh?

HPP is applied immediately after the juices are pressed. This guarantees the freshness of the juice.

HPP is always cold-pressed

Dr. Blend juices are always cold pressed, but this does not mean that all juices or products that undergo HPP are cold pressed. Cold Pressed is a stand-alone technique that has nothing to do with HPP. For example, many smoothies, purees, powders and other food products are often not cold pressed at all.

What does this mean for Dr. Blend products?

Our fruit and vegetable juices are selected and processed with the utmost care. Thanks to this modern technology, we can achieve a better efficiency of our ingredients and ensure a better safety of our juices.

The special thing about this technique is that we can guarantee a longer shelf life and healthier juices. The shelf life of most juices produced without preservatives and/or HPP is 2 to 3 days. Dr. Le Mélange juices have a shelf life of 21 days.

Our juices are 100% pure, 100% raw and produced without the use of preservatives or other additives. Thanks to the new High Pressure Process technique, the juices remain fresh and do not curdle.

All the juices we supply are processed according to the HPP method. In this way, we can guarantee and optimise the freshness and nutritional values that already occur when a juice is cold-pressed. Preservatives are never used, but certain bacteria and micro-organisms are treated.

During the process, all nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants are preserved. The texture and full taste of the raw ingredients also remain intact.

Frozen?

As we do not have to freeze the juices immediately, we can guarantee a long shelf life. However, you may still want to keep the juices for a longer period. Our juices can of course be frozen after receipt. If you freeze the juices after receipt, they can be stored for up to 90 days.

More information?

Do you have any questions or comments about HPP? Please contact our customer service. We are happy to tell you more about our cold-pressed juices and the techniques we use to ensure that our product performs optimally.