Pressure BioSciences Inc (OTCMKTS:PBIO) is excited at the potential for its ultra shear technology (UST), for which it has been issued its first two patents in China.
The technology could be used in a range of industrial applications, including extending the shelf life of some food products, the firm said.
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UST is based on using intense shear forces generated from ultra-high pressure valve discharge - greater than 20,000 psi (pound per square inch)
"The company believes that UST has the potential to play a significant role in a number of commercially important areas, including the formulation of high quality stable nanoemulsions and the preparation of extended shelf-life "clean label" food," it told investors today.
One use is to make what's called nanoemulsions - mixtures of two or more liquids, which could be used in various medical products, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.
"Scientific studies indicate that improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability, lower surfactant levels, and other advantages can be achieved with nanoemulsions when compared to standard macro- and micro-emulsions," the firm said.
Meanwhile, a number of clean label foods are currently processed using high-pressure treatments, including many juices, seafood, meats and fruits and vegetables.
In 2015, the worldwide market for high-pressure processed (HPP) food was estimated at US$10 billion.
Dr Edmund Y. Ting, from Pressure BioSciences, who is a pioneer in the development of HPP and a co-inventor of UST, said: "HPP is very effective in reducing food-borne pathogens and extending shelf-life in pre-packaged foods (e.g., juices and ready-to-eat meats), thus eliminating the need for chemical additives."
He added: "UST uses ultra-high pressures to generate intense shear forces under controlled temperature conditions to produce nanoemulsions with significant reductions in food-borne pathogens, perhaps reaching sterilization. Evidence suggests that under such extreme conditions, even bacterial spores can be inactivated."
He said Pressure's initial focus will be to evaluate UST for the production of high-quality dairy products and beverages.
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