New Processing Technique Could Make Baby Food Puree Even Safer

24 Feb 2014 --- Although levels of furan—a carcinogen resulting from heat treatment techniques, such as canning and jarring—are far below of what would cause harmful effect as determined by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), a team of food scientists from Technische University Berlin found that treatment of baby food puree with high pressure thermal sterilization (HPTS) instead of conventional thermal processing showed a reduction of furan.

The study is in the current issue of Journal of Food Science published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

High pressure thermal sterilization (HPTS) may offer an alternative form of processing by which high quality products could be achieved. HPTS could offer a double benefit in terms of food safety and also food quality, and could be useful for additional food systems as well.

Additional research is needed to validate these findings and help to implement this promising technology in the food industry.

Source: IFT