Waterjet manufacturer Flow International Corporation has signed agreements with Kraft Foods, ConAgra, Procter and Gamble, the U.S. Army Soldier Command, and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology to jointly develop the use of ultrahigh-pressure technology to produce high-quality, shelf-stable food products.

The $2.3 million, three-year effort -- part of a Department of Defense, Dual Use Science and Technology Program -- will address the regulatory, quality and hardware aspects of the commercial production of foods that can be kept for extended periods of time without refrigeration. Development efforts will focus on low-acid, heat-sensitive foods, including soups, potatoes, and cheese products, for both military and consumer markets.

'Our goal is to use ultrahigh-pressure, instead of the high heat and long cooking times required for traditional canning, to produce room-temperature, shelf-stable foods with nutritional value, flavor, color, and texture unachievable today," said Ron Tarrant, chairman, president and CEO of Flow International, which manufactures ultrahigh-pressure waterjet technology for cutting, cleaning and food safety applications.