Although high pressure processing (HPP) has been around for years, as a food technology, it’s really coming into its own. Thanks to consumers’ desire for clean labels and fresh ingredients, more and more companies are adopting HPP technology to increase the shelf life of their products without adding hard-to-pronounce preservatives. The Cold Pressure Council (CPC) is a trade group that was created to develop and formalize best practices for producers using HPP.
“HPP is a fantastic technology”
Jeff Williams, former Vice President and General Manager of JBT-Avure, and once chairman of the Cold Pressure Council, said there were many important reasons to create the CPC.
“We wanted to make sure that everyone using HPP technology follows proper processes and procedures—no shortcuts,” Williams said. “HPP is a fantastic technology, and we do not want any ‘bad actors’ misusing the technology and creating a bad image for it. Food safety is too important.”
“There was also the desire by many brands to have a logo program that would identify that product as ‘cold pressured’ and verified—as in they are following the proper guidelines for safety, validation, and the HPP process,” Williams continued. “And we also wanted to create an independent organization to help foster the growth and development of HPP overall.”
The CPC’s Cold Pressure Verified seal can be found on HPP products like Evolution Fresh and Suja juices. As more members join the CPC and qualify for the seal, consumers will see it on an ever-increasing number of additional packages in the market place.
This year, the CPC will hold its annual conference at the Westin Chicago Northwest, June 18-20. The conference will feature HPP best practices, the latest market trends, tips for packaging HPP products and insights from HPP industry leaders. For more information abut the conference or becoming a member of the CPC, check out their website.
