Use of Hurdle Technology in Food Preservation

In industrialized countries there is a rapidly increasing demand from the consumer for fresh-like, minimally processed food products and in developing countries, food storable without refrigeration are of special interest, because refrigeration is costly and not continuously available. Hurdle technology is an intelligent mix of hurdles which works synergistically and provides safe, healthy products of high quality. The present review focuses on hurdle technology: different types of hurdles used, how these hurdles work together (mechanism), its effect on the microorganism and ultimately it explains how it gives a quality food product. A literature search was carried out and a total of 11 food products and their effect after the application of hurdle technology were studied. It was found that the application of this technology will result in a safe product with optimal shelf life, improved microbial stability, sensory quality, nutritional & economic properties, convenient to use, incur in less transportation and storage costs. Thus, hurdle technology is a technology which aims to improve the total quality of foods by the application of an intelligent mix of hurdles.