We say NO to HPP, here's why...
What is HPP?
HPP (short for High Pressure Pasteurization) is a process that many juice companies use to add shelf life to their juice, and preserve it for longer periods of time (usually up to 45-60 days). Which means you are drinking juice that is as much as 2 months old (and believe us, you can taste the difference). While HPP'd juice stabilizes the bacteria and can preserve some nutrients, the quality of the juice is noticeably diminished, and many great things that are in fresh juice are completely killed off. The molecular structure of the juice is changed, and is no longer considered raw. In fact, the FDA actually made it illegal to use the word 'FRESH' on any labeling of a juice that has gone through the HPP process.
Another factor for juice that is HPP'd, is the recipes must be structured to endure the HPP process. For instance, leafy greens do not handle the process well. Therefor recipes will often take this into account, and fill the recipe with primarily fruits and vegetables that do handle the process better.
The majority of pressed juice brands you'll encounter use this process. Local brands in Vermont that use HPP on their juice include Eco Bean & Juice, True North Juice Company, and Pulp Kitchen. National brands that use HPP include Suja, Blueprint, Evolution Juice, and many many more.
The Vermont Juice Company is the ONLY cold-pressed juice in Burlington that is made completely fresh -- NO HPP!
How does it work?
High Pressure Processing (HPP) is a method of processing where the juice is subjected to elevated pressures (up to 87,000 pounds per square inch, usually in cold water), to achieve microbial inactivation, or to alter the food attributes in order to achieve consumer-desired qualities. Pressure inactivates most vegetative bacteria at pressures above 60,000 pounds per square inch.
Why doesn't The Vermont Juice Company use HPP?
We believe in producing a FRESH juice that has not been altered or compromised. Juice that has been processed using HPP has been sterilized, and therefor may have had it's nutrient value impacted. In addition, juice that has been treated with HPP is technically not fresh, it's preserved. Our juice is cold-pressed fresh every day, and has the absolute maximum nutrient and vitamin value you can get from a juice.
How can I tell if a juice has gone through HPP?
The easiest way to tell if your juice is HPP'd or not, is by checking the shelf life or expiration date of your juice. Any juice that has an expiration date that is weeks (or months!) into the future, is a product that has been pasteurized or HPP'd. Fresh juice only has a shelf life of 3-6 days, and the label will indicate such if it is actually a fresh product. Juice labels are often times difficult to interpret. While use of the word "fresh" is prohibited for any product that has gone through HPP, many brands use verbiage on their labels that imply that their juice has not been pasteurized or gone through additional processing. You may still see the words 'cold-pressed', as that is likely the way the juice was extracted. But checking the expiration date, and looking for the letters HPP "high pressure processing", and "high pressure pasteurization", are the surest ways to determine if your juice is fresh or not.
