Prepared guacamole may be sold in what shelf-life-extending packaging method?

Prepared guacamole may be sold in high-pressure packaging, a method that extends its shelf life while preserving its fresh qualities.

The process is usually called high-pressure processing (HPP), high-hydrostatic-pressure processing, or pascalization. Sealed food is exposed to extremely high pressure, which reduces many spoilage and disease-causing microorganisms and can slow enzyme activity.

Guacamole was an early U.S. food treated with this technology. Unlike conventional heat processing, HPP can preserve much of the dip’s raw taste, texture, color, and nutritional character. One reported result was an increase in guacamole’s shelf life from about three days to roughly 30 days.

“High pressure packaging” can be confused with vacuum packaging, but the two work differently. Vacuum packaging removes air from a container; HPP applies pressure to the sealed product after packaging. Freeze-drying and aseptic canning are also preservation techniques, but they are not the method identified for prepared guacamole here.