- The international call consolidates its position as a global benchmark in food tech, drawing 25 elite research proposals from 11 countries.
- Her work combines pressure-assisted thermal processing (PATP) with natural compounds to successfully target highly resistant spores, establishing a safer margin against Clostridium botulinum.
- Exceptional food science projects from prestigious institutions in Ireland and Italy secure second and third places in a highly competitive global podium.
Hiperbaric, the world leader in industrial high-pressure technology, continues to foster global scientific talent with the announcement of the winners of the 3rd HPP Research Awards. This annual initiative reaffirms the multinational’s commitment to scientific innovation and the promotion of young talent in the field of high-pressure processing for the food industry.
This third edition achieved significant international participation, attracting 25 submissions from 11 countries. The first prize has been awarded to Liz Astorga Oquendo, a PhD candidate in Food Science and Technology at The Ohio State University (USA).
Liz Astorga’s work, titled “Inactivation of Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 spores by synergistic pressure-assisted thermal processing and antimicrobial compound combinations,” addresses one of the major challenges in the low-acid food industry: the efficient elimination of highly resistant bacterial spores without degrading product quality.
Specifically, the research focuses on Clostridium sporogenes, the safe biological surrogate used in laboratories to simulate the behavior of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that produces one of the world’s most lethal toxins and causes botulism. After evaluating the potential of 25 different antimicrobial compounds (including enzymes, polysaccharides, and plant extracts), the study demonstrated that integrating Pressure-Assisted Thermal Processing (PATP) at 6,000 bar (600 MPa) with chitosan, a naturally derived, food-grade compound, achieves spore reductions greater than 7-log under significantly milder processing conditions than conventional retort thermal technologies.
This finding carries a direct and disruptive industrial implication: by reducing thermal severity in industrial sterilization processes, manufacturers can guarantee absolute microbiological safety while minimizing nutrient degradation, preserving sensory attributes, and improving overall product quality. Furthermore, the use of naturally sourced solutions directly addresses current consumer demand for clean-label, minimally processed products. It offers a scalable and cost-effective pathway to enhance food safety margins without requiring complex structural modifications to the equipment.
A Highly International Scientific Podium
The jury for this edition was composed of top-tier international experts: Dr. Nora Adzahan, Professor at the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia; Dr. Jorge Saraiva, Professor and Researcher at the University of Aveiro, Portugal; and Dr. Carole Tonello, PhD in Food Science and Vice President of Business Development at Hiperbaric. Following a rigorous deliberation driven by the high caliber of the proposals, the remaining podium spots were awarded to the following researchers:
- Second Place: Monjurul Hoque, from Teagasc Ashtown Food Research Centre in Ireland, for his research on the impact of high-hydrostatic pressure pretreatment on conventional and ultrasound-assisted pectin extraction from fresh and dried apple pomace (“Impact of high-hydrostatic pressure pretreatment on conventional and ultrasound-assisted pectin extraction from fresh and dried apple pomace: Structural, rheological, and functional analysis”).
- Third Place: Annamaria Pandiscia, from the University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy, for her work focused on survival modeling of infectious human norovirus and its surrogates for high-pressure inactivation in strawberry puree (“Survival modelling of infectious human norovirus and surrogates for high-pressure inactivation in strawberry puree”).
Watch the Ceremony: The complete recording of the official HPP Research Awards ceremony is available to watch entirely at the following link: HPP Research Awards Ceremony – Hiperbaric
A Global Catalyst for HPP Knowledge
Through the HPP Research Awards, Hiperbaric continues to strengthen its role as the primary global catalyst for knowledge in high-pressure processing. HPP technology is a key tool not only for ensuring food safety and extending shelf life without preservatives, but also for advancing global sustainability goals and reducing food waste.
“With these awards, Hiperbaric aims to drive not just technology, but knowledge,” states Andrés Hernando, CEO of Hiperbaric. The company’s top executive emphasizes that “this initiative highlights the role of young researchers as true drivers of the technological trends that will define the future of the food sector.”
As a new feature this year, in addition to the cash prize, the winner will have the opportunity to visit one of the three HPP Incubators that the company operates at its headquarters in Burgos (Spain), in Miami (United States), and at its office in Shanghai (China). Furthermore, the three finalists will receive an exclusive showcase to present their research across Hiperbaric’s communication channels.
