Method for manufacturing high pressure processed food products

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the high pressure processing of food products after packaging in order to extend the shelf life and eliminate bacteria and microorganisms. Fresh food products that can be processed according to the present invention include, for example, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, seafood, vegetables, sauces and starches. The method for processing food products involves vacuum sealing a food product within plastic film to form a vacuum sealed package. The vacuum sealed package is then placed in a pressurizing apparatus and the pressurizing apparatus is then loaded with water. The water is then pressurized inside the pressurizing apparatus to exert hydrostatic pressure on the vacuum sealed package.

1 . A method for processing food products, comprising: 
 (a) vacuum sealing a food product within plastic material to form a vacuum sealed package;    (b) placing said vacuum sealed package into a pressurizing apparatus;    (c) loading water into said pressurizing apparatus; and    (d) pressurizing said water inside said pressurizing apparatus to exert hydrostatic pressure on said vacuum sealed package in a range from 1 minute to 30 minutes at a pressure in a range from 25,000 psi to 120,000 psi.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said food product is selected from the group consisting of beef, chicken, pork, lamb, seafood, vegetables, sauces and starches.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said food product is seafood and said seafood is selected from the group consisting of seafood cakes, raw fish, sub-par cooked fish, marinated fish, seafood dips, shellfish, seafood soups, and other food products with seafood ingredients or stocks.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said plastic material has an oxygen transmission rate greater than 10,000 cc/m 2 /24 hrs.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said food product is a plurality of products.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of vacuum sealing further comprises: 
 providing a tray with a plurality of cavities;    placing a first plastic film over said tray;    filling each of said plurality of cavities with one of said plurality of products after placing said first plastic film;    placing a second plastic film over said plurality of products; and    vacuum sealing said plurality of products in said tray between said first and second plastic films.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprises cutting said vacuum sealed products into individual vacuum sealed packages.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said first plastic film is 3 to 12 mil.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said second plastic film is oxygen permeable with an oxygen transmission rate greater than 10,000 cc/m 2 /24 hrs.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said second plastic film is perforated.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of food products comprises seafood cakes.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said seafood cakes are crab cakes.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plastic material is flexible and can withstand a compression rate of up to 15%.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pressurizing occurs in a range from 35,000 psi to 87,000 psi.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pressurizing occurs for about 3 minutes.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pressurizing occurs at a temperature in a range from 40° F. to 170° F.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plastic material is at least one barrier film.