Effects of high-pressure processing on the physicochemical properties of prosciutto and microbe inactivation

In this study, the effect of high-pressure processing (HPP) conditions (0.1–600 MPa) on the physicochemical properties, inactivation of microorganisms such as hepatitis E virus pathogen, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes and total cell number in prosciutto were evaluated. In the results of appearance and pH, there was no tendency according to level of HPP. The results of hardness were decreased with HPP, and the water content, and water-holding capacity were increased compared to control (0.1 MPa) due to leading to changes in the protein structure of prosciutto. Above 500 MPa, lipid oxidation was significantly decrease and protein oxidation was slightly increase. In the results of microbial analyses above 500 MPa, E. coli and L. monocytogenes were reduced by approximately 4- and 1-log (p < 0.05), respectively and the viral content slightly decreased in HPP samples compared to those in the control. These results indicate that HP treatment above 500 MPa for 9 min is an effective strategy for enhancing food safety, advancing the non-thermal food industry. With further study, it will be necessary to confirm whether HPP treatment has a positive effect on sensory evaluation.