Improvement of gastronomical properties of duck Foie gras by high hydrostatic pressure

High hydrostatic pressure is a well-known non-thermal technology used for food pasteurization. However, this technology can be applied to purposes beyond microbial inactivation. This work is focused on the effect of high hydrostatic pressure on yield and texture of fresh foie gras for gastronomical purposes. The impact of production method of the raw material and the effects of pressure intensity and holding time are discussed based on sensory tests after expert cooking and the evidence of structural modifications in product (texture and fat loss). The attained results indicate that high pressure processing can be used, not only to extend the preservation of the product, but also to improve the texture and to increase the yield of high-quality foie gras, by decreasing fat loss during cooking. Our results evidence a more homogeneous and better behaviour of the pressurized product, with a firmer consistency and up to a 33% if improvement in cooking yield compared to untreated samples.