High Pressure Processing Solution for Decontamination of Raw Pet Food

Holmach Ltd and UHDE GmbH introduce a process solution for UK and Eire manufacturers to maintain the nutritional benefits of raw pet food, whilst ensuring end user safety

The health benefits of a Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet (BARF) for dogs and cats have never been under question, from superior joint and bone health through to a strengthened immune system and reduced body odour. However, there still continues to be some nervousness in the sector relating to handling of the raw product and potential contamination from pathogens for both the consumer and their beloved pet.

Holmach Ltd’s technology partner UHDE have been hosting High Pressure Processing (HPP) trials with a customer in Germany to address these very concerns and they’re now in the final stages of the project that will see final installation and manufacturing later this year.

HPP is a method of applying high pressure to food efficiently and gently. Also known as high pressure pasteurisation or pascalization it’s an ecologically pure method as no further preserving agents or chemicals are used and the nutritional and sensory benefits of the products remain almost unchanged.

From the outset, the priority for this project was to ensure the protection of the pet owner when they prepare the food. It was also a priority for the pet food manufacturer to ensure that their processes aligned with the needs of their retail partners, in terms of shelf-life, and in-store display requirements.

The complete solution…

• In the first instance, the raw meat is HPP processed and then frozen until it’s ready for distribution.
• After defrosting, the shelf life of the raw meat is approximately 4-6 weeks, meaning that it only needs to be refrigerated during transportation, on retail display and ‘at home’.
• The HPP process ensures that the raw meat doesn’t contaminate personal fridges after opening, meaning that it doesn’t have to be stored away from human food.

To find out more about HPP and UHDE’s market leading technology solutions, contact Holmach on 01780 749097 or email info@holmach.co.uk.