Environmental impact analysis of HPP and PCT decontamination technologies: an LCA comparison

Abstract

High Pressure Processing (HPP) and Pressure Change Technology (PCT) are two non-conventional food stabilization technologies that guarantee high quality products with longer shelf lives. This study analyses whether these two technologies are also able to give benefits in terms of environmental impact. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is applied to the case of pineapple juice packaged in two different types of plastic bottles. The packaging material is a parameter that can influence the properties of the food product, its shelf life and the environmental impact. The results confirm that both technologies have a reduced environmental impact, especially when the most sustainable packaging material is used. Therefore, HPP and PCT are proved to be sustainable solutions in the production of high-quality food, with PCT better than HPP in this preliminary study in all the considered LCA impact categories. Moreover, they can play an important role in the reduction of food waste.