What is High Pressure Processing?

A close-up of various bottles filled with colourful juices lined up in a row. The bottles feature different juice colours, including red, yellow, orange, and green, representing a range of flavours. Each bottle is sealed with a white cap and placed neatly on a shelf, indicating a well-organised display.

At EXALT, we believe in keeping things raw, fresh, and cold-pressed. From the ingredients we choose to the way we craft our drinks, it’s all about maximising nutrition and flavour. But when working with all-natural ingredients, the challenge is how to extend shelf life without compromising those vital nutrients.

That’s where High-Pressure Processing (HPP) comes in. This innovative technology allows us to deliver the most natural, nutrient-packed drinks possible - without using heat or preservatives. Let’s dive into what HPP is, why it’s so beneficial, and why traditional methods may not stack up.

What is HPP
Traditional methods
Why we use HPP
HPP vs Heat Pasteurisation
The shelf life debate
Summary

What is HPP?

High-Pressure Processing (HPP) is a non-thermal method that uses cold water and extreme pressure (between 5°C and 20°C) to preserve food and beverages. This technique ensures food safety and extends shelf life while keeping the flavour, texture, and nutritional qualities of fresh products intact. Imagine your favourite cold-pressed juice or protein smoothies being subjected to the equivalent pressure of 24 elephants having a dance party on a strawberry - that’s HPP at work! By using pressure instead of heat, HPP effectively neutralises harmful bacteria and microorganisms without damaging the natural attributes of the drink.

Traditional methods

In contrast, traditional methods like heat pasteurisation rely on high temperatures to kill bacteria and extend shelf life. While effective, heat can degrade heat-sensitive nutrients like vitamins, as well as alter the natural flavours of the drink. To compensate for this loss, many manufacturers add preservatives to their drinks, allowing them to sit at room temperature for extended periods. So whilst yes you get an extended shelf life, this is at the detriment of the true nutritional value.

Why we use HPP?

At EXALT, we use HPP because it’s the only way to keep our drinks raw, fresh, and free from preservatives while extending their shelf life. It’s not a cheap method - HPP technology requires significant investment - but it’s essential for creating truly natural products, that have an extended shelf life, without any artificial additives or nasties. By avoiding heat and preservatives, HPP allows us to deliver drinks packed with nutrients and bursting with fresh flavour, just as nature intended. This process ensures that you’re getting pure, unadulterated goodness in every sip.

Check out the video below and see HPP in action with our partner, Deli 24.

HPP vs Heat Treatment

The table below give you a good breakdown of the key differences between HPP and heat treated products...

A comparison graphic between HPP (High-Pressure Processing) and Heat Treated methods. On the left, HPP is described as retaining nutritional value, offering fresh raw taste, no added preservatives, and providing a naturally extended shelf life. On the right, Heat Treated methods are described as destroying heat-sensitive nutrients, altering natural flavours, often containing additives and preservatives, and providing a prolonged shelf life.

The Shelf Life Of EXALT

So I bet you're wondering, what impact does HPP have on our products?

Before we started using HPP, the natural ingredients in our drinks gave us a very limited shelf life—about 3 days. But thanks to HPP, we can extend the shelf life significantly, without using heat or preservatives.

Our protein smoothie range, for example, arrives with a minimum of 7 days of shelf life and can last up to 15 days. The Berry Berry Good smoothie has a maximum shelf life of 30 days.

For our cold-pressed juices, the shelf life can range from 7 to 40 days, depending on the product, while still maintaining the fresh, raw quality of the ingredients.

Top tip - Every bottle comes with a use-by date printed on the cap or neck, and if you’re looking for the longest shelf life, opt for a Friday delivery to ensure the freshest possible product.

A bottle of EXALT’s “Nip & Tuck” cold-pressed juice lies on a bed of ice, with condensation on the bottle. The juice contains 10g of collagen peptides and ingredients like spinach, kale, kiwi, apple, mint, and ginger. The label highlights that the juice is unpasteurised, raw, and fresh.

Conclusion - TL;DR

At EXALT, we choose HPP to ensure our drinks stay raw, fresh, and full of nutrients. Unlike traditional heat pasteurisation, HPP allows us to keep all the good stuff intact while naturally extending shelf life. And while some drinks can sit at room temperature for months, we keep it real - refrigerated and preservative-free. Try our HPP-powered drinks today and taste the difference!

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