Dr. Carole Tonello Samson, Vice President of Business Development at Hiperbaric, has been selected as a finalist in the category of “Best Patent by a Female Inventor” in the IVth Edition of the Awards for the Best Protected Inventions, organized by the Ministry of Industry in Spain. Her outstanding invention, a container for high-pressure processing at moderate temperatures, promises to revolutionize the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries by enabling greater safety, efficiency, and sustainability without the need for significant additional investment. With over 30 years of experience, Tonello is a global leader in the field of high pressures, driving technological innovation and Hiperbaric’s commitment to industrial sustainability.
A High-Pressure Leader’s Career Path
With more than 30 years of experience in the field of high pressure, Carole Tonello has established herself as a global reference. Since joining Hiperbaric in 2003, she has played a crucial role in leading strategic innovations. Her participation in more than 25 R&D projects and her role as co-inventor on several patents have been essential in positioning Hiperbaric as a world leader in this technology. Her strategic vision not only drives technological development but also aligns the company with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), marking a firm commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
The High-Pressure Container Revolutionizing the Industry
The central invention of this application is a container for high pressure processing at moderate temperatures. This device breaks with the traditional paradigms of HPP (High Pressure Processing), which generally operates at low temperatures. The new container makes it possible to combine pressure with moderate temperatures (up to 60°C) without the need to modify standard HPP machines or to heat the vessels with which they operate.
The key to this innovation lies in its design. A cylindrical body with small openings strategically distributed longitudinally along its sidewall, and internal parts acting as counterweights, covered by sheets of material with high adiabatic heating properties under compression. This configuration minimizes heat loss and ensures homogeneous temperature distribution inside the container. The result is enhanced food safety, with effective microbiological inactivation without compromising the sensory and nutritional properties of the products.
This ingenious design not only improves thermal efficiency but also facilitates industrial adoption of this technology. By integrating directly into existing commercial HPP systems, the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries can benefit from increased safety, reduced waste and reduced operating costs, without the need for large additional investments.
Multisectoral and Sustainable Impact
The impact of Carole Tonello’s invention contributes significantly to the sustainability and efficiency of various sectors. By improving the preservation of food and beverages without artificial additives, it reduces the environmental footprint of industrial processing. In addition, it fosters innovation in the production of fresh and healthy products.
Economically, the invention offers a cost-effective solution. By not requiring the purchase of specific HPP equipment to operate at moderate temperatures, companies save on initial investment and maintenance costs. The optimized container design, which is lighter and easier to handle, reduces operating costs and increases productivity by maximizing the usable volume for product processing.
The patent has already been granted in Spain and extension has been requested in strategic markets such as Europe, USA, China and Australia, underlining its commercial and global potential. This broad geographic scope ensures protection of the invention in key markets worldwide.
