Hyperbaric storage of melon juice at and above room temperature and comparison with storage at atmospheric pressure and refrigeration.

Hyperbaric storage (8h) of melon juice (a highly perishable food) at 25, 30 and 37°C, under pressure at 25-150 MPa was compared with atmospheric pressure storage (0.1 MPa) at the same temperatures and under refrigeration (4°C). Comparatively to the refrigerated condition, hyperbaric storage at 50/75 MPa resulted in similar or lower microbial counts (total aerobic mesophiles, enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts/moulds) while at 100/150 MPa, the counts were lower for all the tested temperatures, indicating in the latter case, in addition to microbial growth inhibition, a microbial inactivation effect. At 25 MPa no microbial inhibition was observed. Physicochemical parameters of all samples stored under pressure (pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, browning degree and cloudiness) did not show a clear variation trend with pressure, being the results globally similar to refrigeration storage. These results show the potential of hyperbaric storage, at and above room temperature and with potential energy savings, comparatively to refrigeration.