A local food processor is expanding the kinds of services they can provide. It involves using high pressure to preserve food.
LiDestri Food & Beverage already has a substantial food processing operation in the Rochester area, including facilities at the Eastman Business Park. Now, the company is installing new equipment that uses high pressure to extend the shelf-life of refrigerated products, items like beverages or deli meats.
LiDestri Vice President of Business Development and Contract Manufacturing Alan Davis says this is an alternative to the traditional pasteurization process. He says this technique can help the food retain its healthful benefits as well as taste better.
“What they can do is, instead of heat treating it, they can fill it cold, as in the case of a beverage, and that process won’t reduce the number of anti-oxidants, it’ll make sure that the vitamins stay in there.”
Davis says the specialized high pressure equipment can also neutralize harmful bacteria such as listeria, salmonella and e-coli.
With the new equipment, Lidestri has established a separate unit called Finger Lakes Fresh Press. Davis says this expansion is expected to add 29 jobs over five years at the Lee Road manufacturing complex.
