High pressure processing (HPP) allows the decontamination of foods with minimal impact on their nutritional and sensory features. The use of HPP to reduce microbial loads has shown great potential in the meat, poultry and seafood industry. HPP has proven to be a promising technology, and industrial HPP applications have grown rapidly, especially in the stabilization of readyto-eat meats and cured products, satisfying the demands of regulatory agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture-Food Safety and Inspection Services (USDA-FSIS). HPP has been investigated for a wide range of operations including non-thermal decontamination of acid foods, combined pressure-heating treatments to inactivate pathogenic bacteria, pressure-supported freezing and -thawing, texturization and the removal of meat from shellfish and crustaceans. Research has also been conducted on the impact of the technology on quality features. Processing-dependent changes in muscle foods include changes in colour, texture and water-holding capacity, with endogenous enzymes playing a major role in the phenomena. This review summarizes the current approaches to the use of high hydrostatic pressure processing, focusing mainly on meat, meat products and seafood. Recent findings on the microbiological, chemical and molecular aspects of HPP technology, along with commercial and research applications, are also described.

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Table olives are the most widely consumed fermented food in the Mediterranean countries. Peculiar processing technologies are used to process olives, which are aimed at the debittering of the fruits and improvement of their sensory characteristics, ensuring safety of consumption at the same time. Processors demand for novel techniques to improve industrial performances, while consumers' attention for natural and healthy foods has increased in recent years. From field to table, new techniques have been developed to decrease microbial load of potential spoilage microorganisms, improve fermentation kinetics and ensure safety of consumption of the packed products. This review article depicts current technologies and recent advances in the processing technology of table olives. Attention has been paid on pre processing technologies, some of which are still under-researched, expecially physical techniques, such ad ionizing radiations, ultrasounds and electrolyzed water solutions, which are interesting also to ensure pesticide decontamination. The selections and use of starter cultures have been extensively reviewed, particularly the characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeasts to fasten and safely drive the fermentation process. The selection and use of probiotic strains to address the request for functional foods has been reported, along with salt reduction strategies to address health concerns, associated with table olives consumption. In this respect, probiotics enriched table olives and strategies to reduce sodium intake are the main topics discussed. New processing technologies and post packaging interventions to extend the shelf life are illustrated, and main findings in modified atmosphere packaging, high pressure processing and biopreservaton applied to table olive, are reported and discussed.

The phenolic fraction of a naturally fermented cultivar of table olives, "Tonda di Cagliari," was investigated for the ability to protect Caco-2 cells against oxidative stress and membrane damage induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxyde (TBH). TBH exposure resulted in an alteration of cellular redox status, with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) level. A loss of the epithelial integrity, as indicated by the decrease of the transepithelial electrical resistance value, was also observed over time, together with an intense lipid peroxidation process. The olives phenolic extract significantly counteracted ROS generation and subsequent alteration of monolayer integrity and membrane oxidative damage. The protective action of the extract is likely due to the scavenging ability of its main components, as hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and verbascoside among the secoiridoids and derivatives. Since olives phenolic compounds concentrate in the intestinal lumen, they may be a useful tool in the prevention of intestinal disorders related to oxidative damage.