Pressure BioSciences ultra high-pressure HUB platform shines in food safety studies

Pressure BioSciences Inc (OTCQB:PBIO) said Wednesday that its HUB platform of high-pressure instruments received plaudits at the Institute of Food Technologists meeting in New Orleans, boosting its potential in the food industry.

Three researchers talked about how South Easton, Massachusetts-based Pressure BioSciences HUB440 and HUB880 systems advanced the positive impact of high-pressure processing (HPP) on food-borne pathogens in liquids and ground meat.

Pressure above 58,000 pounds per square inch at ambient temperature or lower can inactivate bacterial spores, viruses, yeasts, molds and parasites, boosting food safety.

READ: Pressure BioSciences shares jump after life sciences company sets up Center of Excellence at NYU lab

The Barocycler HUB440, a compact, portable, ultra high-pressure generator uses a compressed air-driven pressure intensifier to generate fluid pressure up to 58,000 pounds per square inch.

Similarly, the Barocycler HUB880 ultra high-pressure generator uses a compressed air-driven pressure intensifier to generate fluid pressure up to 100,000 pounds per square inch.

Offers food produscts longer shelf life

Both these instruments offer food products longer shelf-life without chemical additives or high heat treatment, said the company. High-pressure processing is an acceptable food processing method for the Food and Drug Administration.

Dr Aliyar Fouladkhah, assistant professor at the Tennessee State University  who is the director of the Public Health Microbiology Lab, demonstrated in studies that Pressure Bio’s equipment can be used to “dramatically reduce” bacteria, such as E.coli 0157 and Listeria monocytogenes (pathogenic bacteria), present in foods like apple cider and chopped meat.

“Our team was able to conduct and present results from our innovative research projects to the most respected international food science conference thanks to the consistency, accuracy, and precision of Pressure Bio’s HUB high pressure units and the collaborative endeavors with PBI engineers,” said Dr Fouladkhah.

He said the controlled experiments can provide “model systems” that can result in significantly safer foods.

Great promise in HPP food applications

“Pressure Bio’s bench-top ultra high-pressure HUB equipment offers great promise in HPP food applications,” said Dr Nathan Lawrence, a senior technical consultant at Pressure BioSciences. “The special design features in the pressure and temperature control of the equipment enable scientists to safely study a myriad of food-borne pathogens.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 6 Americans get sick from contaminated food or beverages every year, and 3,000 people on average die from it.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Agriculture pegs the costs of foodborne illnesses in the US at more than $15.6 billion every year.

“The need for safer food is a world-wide concern. In recognition, the United Nations proclaimed June 7, 2019 as the first World Food Safety Day,” said Pressure BioSciences CEO Richard T Schumacher. “HPP currently plays an important role in food safety. This unique process is barely 20 years old, yet it has already grown into an estimated $20 billion market.”

By 2026, the HPP food market is tipped to touch nearly $42 billion.

“We believe that presentations such as Dr Fouladkhah’s at this year’s IFT conference will help generate awareness about our new, powerful yet affordable bench-top HUB family of products,” said Schumacher.

Contact Uttara Choudhury at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive 

Story by ProactiveInvestors