HPP Protein Workshop on Listeria Control and Dark-Cutting Beef Recovery Hosted by Hiperbaric and Oklahoma State University

Full-day technical program in Stillwater pairs peer-reviewed research with hands-on access to a running HPP system, as Hiperbaric's Global Roadshow reaches the United States

STILLWATER, Okla., Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hiperbaric, the world's leading manufacturer of high pressure processing (HPP) equipment, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Oklahoma State University's Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) will host the HPP Protein Workshop on Tuesday, September 15, a full-day technical program for meat, poultry, seafood and pet food processors evaluating high pressure processing. Registration is open to the public and capped at approximately 50 attendees.

Why Protein Processors Are Watching

HPP uses cold water pressure, up to 87,000 psi, to inactivate pathogens and spoilage-causing microorganisms in packaged food without heat or added preservatives. For protein processors, that opens three paths: pathogen control for ready-to-eat compliance, extended refrigerated shelf life, and value recovery from quality-challenged products, with applications spanning fresh and cured proteins, marinated products, ready-to-eat items, and raw and fresh pet food.

The workshop takes those claims apart in front of the people who have to underwrite them. Researchers from OSU and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present on controlling Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat operations and on HPP as a recovery tool for dark-cutting beef, a quality defect that pushes otherwise sound product into lower-value channels. An agricultural economist closes the day with what that defect costs the industry and where HPP fits the math.

Inside the Workshop

The program runs 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. CT and is built around the three questions a technical evaluation has to answer: is it safe, does it work, and does it pay off.

• 9 a.m. – HPP science and principles, presented by Daniela Castro, Hiperbaric applications specialist, followed by value-added applications across protein and pet food processing
  
  
• Mid-morning – Ribbon-cutting ceremony and hands-on equipment demonstration, led by Shade Hughes, OSU's Program Manager for HPP Food Technology
  
  
• Afternoon – Food safety session on controlling Listeria monocytogenes with HPP, presented by Dr. Grace Danao of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Food Processing Center
  
  
• Afternoon – Joint session on HPP as a value-recovery tool for dark-cutting beef, with Dr. Ranjith Ramanathan (OSU) and Dr. Gary Sullivan (UNL)
  
  
• Closing – The business case, an economic analysis of what dark-cutting beef costs the industry and where HPP fits, presented by Dr. Rodney Holcomb, FAPC's agricultural economist, followed by a networking reception

The demonstration runs on FAPC's Hiperbaric 55, installed earlier this year as part of a $7 million modernization initiative and the first HPP equipment in Oklahoma. The ribbon-cutting formally inaugurates the system.

"Most of the new protein work in HPP is coming out of university labs, and it usually takes years to reach the plant floor," said Rob Peregrina, Director of Hiperbaric USA. "OSU is putting both the research and a running system under pressure in front of processors, on the same day."

"An investment like this one only pays off when processors can put their hands on it," said Dr. Roy Escoubas, Director of the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center. "This workshop gives protein processors in Oklahoma and well beyond a firsthand look at HPP technology, along with ongoing access to the expertise and research needed to evaluate what it can do for their products."

The Stillwater workshop is the second stop of the Hiperbaric Global Roadshow, a traveling series of technical events launched in June at the company's HPP Customer Day in Burgos, Spain, which drew more than 60 representatives from 35 companies across 14 countries.

Registration

Registration is $30 per attendee and includes the full-day program, morning coffee, lunch, the closing reception and all workshop materials. Seats are limited to approximately 50 attendees. A discounted room block is available at The Atherton Hotel on the OSU campus. Travel and lodging are not included.

Media Kit

Download link: https://we.tl/t-52oJu2TrpmMv4NM0 

EVENT DETAILS

What: HPP Protein Workshop, second stop of the Hiperbaric Global Roadshow
When: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. CT
Where: Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.
Fee: $30 per attendee
Registration: https://live.eventtia.com/en/hiperbaric-global-roadshow-oklahoma 

About the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center

The Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) at Oklahoma State University provides technical services, research and training to food and agricultural processors, supporting product development, food safety and commercialization. For more information, visit food.okstate.edu.

About Hiperbaric

Hiperbaric is the world's leading supplier of high pressure processing equipment for the food industry. Since 1999, the company has designed, developed and manufactured the world's most advanced HPP systems, recognized for their reliability, innovation and customer service. Hundreds of companies use Hiperbaric equipment to process juices, meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, dairy and ready-to-eat meals. Headquartered in Spain, with offices in Miami (USA) and Shanghai (China), Hiperbaric serves customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.hiperbaric.com.

Media Contacts:

Anthony Zapata, Hiperbaric | [email protected] | (305) 607-4538

SOURCE Hiperbaric