High-Pressure Processing, Strawberry Beverages, and Composition of ‘Bioactives’

Fruits and vegetables are processed by the food industry to extend shelf-life, delivering more options and opportunities for consumers to eat fruits and vegetables. Conventional thermal processing is an effective method for producing safe extended shelf-life and shelf-stable products; however the harsh temperatures impact nutritive quality, destroying essential nutrients and non-essential nutrients/components. Strawberries, along with other berry fruits contain a variety of ‘bioactive’ nutrients and phytochemicals. Strawberries are a significant source of polyphenolic anthocyanins in some diets. Anthocyanins are associated with a number of health benefits. Accordingly, increasing the options for consuming anthocyanin rich fruits, such as strawberries, in a manner that would preserve their rich bioactive profile would benefit human health. Novel processing strategies will indeed be required to deliver on such high demands. In this chapter, research on the application of high-pressure processing (HPP) as a potential method for preserving bioactive components in extended shelf-life foods is discussed. Strawberry beverages serve as a model for assessing effects of HPP, including interactions with matrix on anthocyanins, antioxidant capacity, among other quality indicators. Overall, HPP has emerged as a promising technology for delivering microbiologically safe food products while preserving nutritional quality. However, research in this area of alternative processing methods and novel technologies to deliver products with greater nutritional quality and demonstrated health benefits in humans is under-developed and immense opportunities exist.