Review: Hurdle Technologies in Food Microbial Preservation

Background: Hurdle technology is a food preservation strategy based on the deliberate combination of two or more preservation factors to inhibit microbial growth while maintaining food quality. Instead of focusing on a single severe treatment, multiple mild hurdles act synergistically to disrupt microbial homeostasis, prevent recovery, and extend shelf life. Objective: This review examines hurdle technologies in food microbial preservation, focusing on the effects of multiple preservation factors and their impact on microbial inactivation and food quality. The narrative review synthesizes the foundational principles of research retrieved through a comprehensive search, highlighting key findings on combination antimicrobial synergies, preservation methods, and quality preservation outcomes. Main Discussion Points: Key findings demonstrate that synergistic pairings such as high-pressure processing (HPP) combined with antimicrobials, pulsed electric fields (PEF) with cold storage or acidic conditions, and atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) with PEF yield significantly larger log reductions in microbial populations and extended shelf-life compared to individual treatments. Conclusion: Hurdle technology represents a powerful and versatile approach that effectively enhances microbial safety while better preserving sensory, nutritional, and physicochemical food quality compared to single-hurdle methods.