... and in with new nonthermal processing technologies for the food and beverage industry.
Until now. A host of nonthermal processes are coming on stream to delay spoilage or at least reduce the likelihood that people will get sick from fresh foods that were processed hundreds, even thousands of miles away. Some of these technologies -- notably high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and irradiation -- have emerged as full-blown commercial processes, while others like ultraviolet and carbon-dioxide treatments are at various developmental stages. Still others already are widely used in other fields: more than 3,000 bottled water suppliers use ozone to purify their products, and the city of Boston is building a $600 million ozone system, yet food companies are just beginning to use ozone in direct food contact. These technologies may never replace retort processing, but they extend shelf life and result in more flavorful foods, two objectives high on processors' priority lists.