High-pressure processing is a technology used to preserve food. Its safety is comparable to that of other preservation methods, such as pasteurization. Hydrostatic pressures of up to 600 MPa (6000 bar) are applied, corresponding to the pressure at a depth of 60 km below sea level. The already bottled, untreated SANDICCA Frische Elixier is placed in a chamber, which is then sealed and filled with water. Powerful pumps then build up a pressure of approximately 600 MPa. The advantage of high-pressure processing is that the pressure is distributed with exactly the same intensity throughout the product, meaning that, unlike heating, there is no need to wait for the temperature to reach the core. The pressure thus generated is maintained for several minutes before being released again. This process always takes place in cold water, so the Frische Elixier is not exposed to any heat. The content of vitamins and secondary plant compounds (acids, pigments, antioxidants, etc.) is not affected by the process.
The non-thermal high-pressure treatment does, however, successfully achieve the desired destruction of pathogenic microorganisms, yeasts, and moulds, as the cell structures, such as membranes, and the biochemical processes of these organisms are sensitive to increased pressure.
