Food Quality & Safety

Setting the Standard for Freshness and Compliance

At American Pasteurization Company (APC), food safety and quality are foundational to everything we do. Using advanced high pressure processing (HPP) technology and rigorous food safety protocols, we help food and beverage companies deliver products that are safe, fresh, and consistently high in quality. Our mission is to protect both your product and your brand—at every stage of the supply chain.

Food Safety: The Core of APC's Mission

Food safety is built into every part of our process. APC works with accredited laboratories across the U.S. on HPP testing and food quality assurance. Our extensive experience with HPP food safety makes us a trusted partner for brands protecting fresh, refrigerated products.

Pathogen Deactivation

  • HPP effectively deactivates pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria by applying extreme isostatic pressure uniformly to packaged products.
  • This pressure damages the cellular structure of pathogens, deactivating them and ensuring the safety of food and beverages, without the use of heat or chemical preservatives.

Nutritional Integrity

  • Unlike heat pasteurization, HPP uses cold water and pressure, preserving the natural taste, texture, color, and nutritional profile of foods.

Broad-Spectrum Efficacy

  • HPP is effective against a wide range of pathogens with varying structural characteristics.

How HPP Ensures Food Safety

Protein Denaturation

The intense pressure causes microbial proteins to lose their functional structure, preventing pathogens from performing critical biochemical activities.

Enzyme Inactivation

HPP disrupts metabolic and repair processes, leaving microorganisms unable to survive or recover.

Uniform Treatment

Isostatic pressure ensures all parts of a product, regardless of size or shape, receive equal treatment—from one-ounce bottles to ten-pound bags.

Key Advantages of HPP for Food Quality and Safety

No Thermal Damage

Nutritional Preservation

Regulatory Compliance

  • HPP-treated products meet stringent food safety standards, USDA and FDA requirements, and products' shelf life is greatly extended.
Chunky red pico de gallo cups in an HPP basket entering the high-pressure processing vessel at APC

Laboratory Support and Testing

Customers arrive at different stages of the process. Some come to APC with all of their laboratory work already completed. Some have part of it done and need help working out what else is required. Some need one particular study or next step, such as a challenge study. There is no single flat workflow that describes every customer.

Tailored Studies for HPP

  • Work with laboratories experienced in HPP for accurate safety and shelf-life studies.
  • Studies focus on pressure-resistant microorganisms and product quality to optimize HPP parameters.

Microbial Validation and Challenge Studies

  • Microbial validation study; a challenge study to validate that HPP effectively deactivates pathogens like E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella at the pressure and time parameters used.
  • A validated HPP process is commonly designed to achieve a 5-log reduction — a 99.999% reduction of the specified target pathogen.
  • Independent labs validate the effectiveness of HPP in deactivating target pathogens under specific conditions.

Who Does What

  • You initiate the study. APC advises.
  • You contract with the laboratory and pay for the work.
  • The laboratory typically designs the protocol in coordination with you.
  • APC works collaboratively with you and the laboratory to make sure you have everything you are required to have and everything you are looking to achieve.

What the Results Determine

You receive the laboratory results validating whatever you are trying to achieve with HPP — a full 5-log pathogen reduction for validation, refrigerated shelf-life extension, or another defined objective.

Those results then drive how APC processes your product. Depending on the objective and the study, they determine:

Worker operating a control panel beside an APC packaging line with unbranded white pouches
  • the amount of pressure applied;
  • the HPP hold time; and
  • the refrigerated shelf life assigned to the product.

The refrigerated shelf life is determined through the laboratory working with you. The date code APC prints on the product after processing is based on that determination.

Referrals and Coordination

APC frequently refers customers to a qualified laboratory we know can help with their particular product or testing needs.

Our QA and Samples departments then coordinate closely with the laboratory to get the required paperwork in order and confirm it is accurate and complete, make sure samples reach APC and are handled properly, and send samples to the laboratory when requested.

Critical Control Points (CCPs) for HPP

As part of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan, manufacturers must define CCPs specific to HPP, such as:

  • Pressure level
  • Hold time
  • Temperature thresholds

APC's experts collaborate with customers and laboratories to develop robust HACCP plans tailored to HPP processes, ensuring compliance with regulatory and safety standards.

SQF Certification at Both APC Facilities

APC's Milwaukee and Sacramento facilities are SQF (Safe Quality Food) certified, a globally recognized food safety and quality certification program. SQF certification provides:

  • Assurance of adherence to rigorous food safety and quality management standards.
  • Independent audits to verify compliance with industry and retailer expectations.
  • Confidence for customers in product safety and consistent quality across the supply chain.
Worker inspecting a shrink-wrapped pallet of unbranded brown cardboard boxes in an APC production facility

Why Choose APC for Food Safety and Quality?

  • Pioneering technology: Decades of experience in high pressure pasteurization.
  • Comprehensive support: From lab testing to full-service HPP processing.
  • Brand protection: We help you safeguard your products and protect your brand.

As you evaluate your food safety and quality strategy, consider how APC can help you meet compliance goals, reduce risk, and extend shelf life—without compromising product integrity. From food safety and brand trust to long-term market access, APC supports your goals with precision and expertise. Whether you're launching a new product, solving for shelf life, or upgrading your compliance strategy, our high pressure processing capabilities give you the clarity and confidence to move forward.

Ready to Elevate Your Product Safety?

  • Contact Us to learn how APC can enhance your product safety and quality.
  • Learn More about our HPP technology and food safety protocols.
  • Partner with APC to ensure your products meet the highest safety and quality standards.