Control of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in meat and meat products by high pressure: Challenges and future perspectives

High-pressure processing is among the most widely used nonthermal intervention to reduce pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in meat and meat products. However, resistance of pathogenic bacteria strains in meats at the current maximum commercial equipment of 600 MPa questions the ability of inactivation by its application in meats. Pathogens including Escherichia coli, Listeria, and Salmonelle, and spoilage microbiota including lactic acid bacteria dominate in raw meat, ready-to-eat, and packaged meat products. Improved understanding on the mechanisms of the pressure resistance is needed for optimizing the conditions of pressure treatment to effectively decontaminate harmful bacteria. Effective control of the pressure-resistant pathogens and spoilage organisms in meats can be realized by the combination of high pressure with application of mild temperature and/or other hurdles including antimicrobial agents and/or competitive microbiota. This review summarized applications, mechanisms, and challenges of high pressure on meats from the perspective of microbiology, which are important for improving the understanding and optimizing the conditions of pressure treatment in the future.