Contact Linkedin Youtube Instagram Facebook Twitter

Hemos detectado que estás navegando en un idioma diferente a tu ubicación.
¿Quieres ver la versión Española de la página?

Español English
Procesado para la conservación de alimentos

HPP beverages are the fastest growing application within High Pressure Processing (HPP). Thanks to the added value that it brings to brands: fresh-like products, extended shelf life and guaranteed food safety, it has become the best processing technology for beverage manufacturers. It also has allowed many brands to innovate new and disruptive products every year. We invite you to know what the HPP beverage trends are in 2020.

The market analysis published at the beginning of the year had an impact on the sustained growth of HPP products, with special reference to what was expected to be experienced by HPP beverages. With summer around the corner, and with a much more compromised health and economic situation, they still continue to indicate a bullish forecast, but with a lower growth rate. Publications around the world, such as the Indian Food Service, consider HPP as a technology that can strengthen the food industry in this post-COVID reality.

There are many uncertainties surrounding the consumption of food and beverages, in general, which is why caution has been evident all across the food industry. Despite this, there is proof that the health crisis and incipient economic crisis have contributed to fostering some of the trends anticipated in January and HPP products continue to be the answer to this demand.

Current overview of the HPP beverage industry

Undoubtedly, the best method to see first-hand the trends and innovations of a certain sector, are tradeshows and conferences, but the Covid-19 has postponed many of these events.

In the case of HPP beverages, one of the world benchmarks for keeping up to date with these developments, are the summer and winter editions of Bevnet. Already in the 2019 summer edition that was held in New York (USA), there was an emphasis on the need for beverage producers to grow in adaptability to maintain their position, as the market is fickle and demanding. This is even more evident during the pandemic that we’re living in today. Consumer are more cautious with their purchases and many are as far as to giving up the well-known brands, in search for healthier products.

In 2020, as a result of the pandemic, two trends that were already clear in the consumption of HPP beverages have been evident:

  1. An increased demand for juices rich in vitamins and functional compounds and probiotics that contribute to strengthening the immune system.
  2. A growing consumption of food without additives and closeness as a guarantee of “freshness” and commitment to the local economy.

HPP beverages meet this demand because they preserve the nutritional profile of products, without the need to add preservatives, flavors, antioxidants or chemical additives of any kind. This is because HPP inactivates the microorganisms and enzymes that cause food-borne disorders and diseases, while keeping the organoleptic properties of the fresh product unchanged.

There are numerous scientific studies that support these statements, especially in the field of HPP beverage. However, we would like to share one of the most recent studies where the quality parameters in juices are analyzed. In this study, you can compare juice beverages processed by HPP, thermally treated and those processed by another non-thermal process, ultraviolet light.

The study “Quality changes in cold pressed juices after processing by high hydrostatic pressure, ultraviolet-c light and thermal treatment at commercial regimes” prepared by Vanessa Ríos de Souza et al concludes, among other things, that:

– “[…] Although the treatments did not affect the pH, soluble solids and viscosity, they did affect the color with the most pronounced change in green juice after heat treatment. In general, the treatments resulted in a good retention (<25% reduction) of ascorbic acid, phenolic content and total antioxidant. Notable exceptions included heat treatments and UV-C overdoses (> 90% reduction in ascorbic acid in lemonade). Treatment with HPP had a neutral or positive effect on consumer acceptance of all juices, while thermal treatments and with over-dose exposure to UV-C caused undesirable sensory changes in green and citrus juices, respectively […] ”

– “[…] Currently accepted processing regimes for commercial scale HPP, UV-C light, and heat treatment affected color, nutritional, chemical, and / or sensory properties depending on the beverage matrix, suggesting that it is required an individual product treatment approach for each juice. In the case of UV-C light, the effectiveness of the treatment was influenced by the composition of the juice and the UV transmission, as well as by the level of creep. Treatment with UV-C overdose was shown to cause undesirable effects on the nutritional parameters of the juice […] ”.

Examples of new HPP beverages in line with immune boosting capabilities

Innovation in the HPP beverage sector has never stopped. The use of diverse natural ingredients as a vitamin, protein, bioactive source, etc. has taken on a new dimension in an attempt to develop whole drinkable foods beyond traditional juices. As Greg Rose, Marketing Director for our client Suja, points out in a recent Food Business News article, “Consumers’ relationship with food and beverages is constantly evolving, and the demand for clean and functional products is higher than ever”.

In this article, this innovative US-based company, presents the new line ‘Elevated Nutrients’, that has developed in collaboration with Whole Foods Market, and that in addition to being USDA approved and verified by the Organic and Non-GMO Project, contains vitamin C of acerola cherry and vitamin E from annatto, among others.

Image 1. ‘Elevated Nutrients’, new HPP beverages line of Suja. Source: Food Business News
Image 1. ‘Elevated Nutrients’, new HPP beverages line of Suja. Source: Food Business News

Suja is a healthy and wellness conscious company, which invests numerous resources in innovation. They have been able to launch a new product almost every year. In 2019, they launched their HPP ‘Celery Juice’, which consists of celery and a touch of lemon juice.

Image 2. HPP ‘Celery Juice’ of Suja.
Image 2. HPP ‘Celery Juice’ of Suja.

In the same line of functional HPP drinks aimed at improving health, the So Good So You brand announced this March the launch of its ‘Mind Tonics’ line at the Expo West tradeshow to help deal with anxiety, tiredness, and lack of concentration. It is a line of HPP teas with a patented blend of ingredients for cognitive support.

As the article comments, “All So Good So You products are packed with functional, plant-based benefits and packed with vitamins and minerals that are derived entirely from their fruit and vegetable ingredients. This means that there are no additives, preservatives, artificial flavors or concentrates. There is nothing artificial, ever”. Ultimately, this is further evidence that HPP beverages are in line with consumer demand.

Image 3. HPP Beverage ‘Mind Tonics’ of So Good So You. Source: Bevnet
Image 3. HPP Beverage ‘Mind Tonics’ of So Good So You. Source: Bevnet

In that same article, the company presented the ‘BtrBtl™’ format focused on contributing to packaging sustainability, noting that “although it looks the same as any clear plastic bottle, BtrBtl™ biodegrades at an accelerated rate in landfills and it becomes usable energy”. This is another trend in the beverage sector in general and in the HPP beverage sector in particular due to the sustainability philosophy of minimizing or reusing plastic packaging.

In line with this growing trend, Hiperbaric launched back in September 2018, a revolutionary idea for the HPP beverage sector: the Hiperbaric Bulk technology, which was received with great interest worldwide for its bulk processing capabilities and the wide range of opportunities it offers.

Image 4. Hiperbaric 525 Bulk for HPP beverages. Global and exclusive innovation by Hiperbaric.
Image 4. Hiperbaric 525 Bulk for HPP beverages. Global and exclusive innovation by Hiperbaric.

Aligned with our efforts to promote sustainability standards (more natural foods, biodegradable packaging, etc.), Hiperbaric developed the Hiperbaric 525 Bulk, an HPP machine that allows bulk processing for beverage liquids prior to being packaged. This technology allows aseptic bottling in containers that are more easily recyclable and reusable materials, such as glass.

This year we have installed the first Hiperbaric Bulk technology machine in France, specifically in the renowned company Hermes Boissons. If you want to know first-hand how it works and what advantages this innovative technology brings, we invite you to attend the next HPP for Juices and Beverages Webinar will be held on June 16, 2020 and which will include the participation of this French beverage manufacturer.

If you want more information about this event or about the benefits of HPP for the juice and beverage industry, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The data you provide us will be processed by Hiperbaric S.A. to publish your comment. You can exercise your rights regarding data protection at rrhh@hiperbaric.com. You can obtain more information in our Privacy Policy.