Webinar: The Science Behind Safe Raw Pet Food: Does HPP Deliver on Food Safety and Product Integrity?

Raw pet food and food safety  —  can you have both? In this exclusive data-driven webinar, Zach Ao, Co-Founder of Viva Raw, and Daniela Soto Castro, HPP Food Specialist at Hiperbaric, share findings from a year-long evaluation of High-Pressure Processing (HPP) in raw pet food production. Rather than relying on assumptions, the team conducted rigorous testing across pathogen control, nutrient retention, microbial impact, and product quality. Attendees will gain lab-validated insights and practical takeaways to assess whether HPP meets their food safety, regulatory, and formulation goals.

This webinar will broadcast at 10:00 AM CDT (Chicago) / 4:00 PM BST (London) / 11:00 PM CST (Beijing).

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

1. Evaluate HPP’s effectiveness against key pathogens. Discover how HPP performed against Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli across multiple protein sources and whether it achieved the 5-log (99.999%) reduction benchmark aligned with FDA expectations.
2. Understand the impact of HPP on nutritional integrity. Review data from 50 nutrient panels pre- and post-HPP, covering macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. Gain insight into how pressure selectively inactivates pathogens while preserving key nutrients.
3. Assess HPP’s impact on beneficial bacteria and product positioning. Examine what happens to lactic acid bacteria during HPP, how to interpret the data, and what it means for formulation strategies and microbiome claims.
4. Evaluate key quality and processing concerns linked to HPP. Explore peroxide value testing, enzyme activity, and packaging interactions to understand how HPP compares to thermal processes in terms of oxidation, shelf life, and material compatibility.

This webinar is sponsored by Hiperbaric and presented by Petfood Industry.

Speaker Information:

Daniela Soto Castro, HPP Food Specialist in HPP Applications & Food Processing Department at Hiperbaric

Daniela Soto holds a B.Eng . in Food Engineering from Tec de Monterrey (Monterrey, Mexico). She is currently an HPP Food Specialist at Hiperbaric (Miami, USA), providing scientific and technological support to High Pressure Processing (HPP) users in the HPP Incubator. Daniela delivers webinars and presentations to educate customers on HPP applications and drive product innovation. She has research experience in the food and beverage industry and has participated in the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), where she won two international competitions presented at the FIRST event. Daniela also volunteers as a member of the Non-Thermal Division at IFT.

Zach Ao, Co-Founder of Viva Raw

Zach Ao is the Co-Founder of Viva Raw, where he leads all things product — spanning research & development, food safety & quality assurance, and operations. Since founding the company in 2021, Zach has built deep expertise in raw pet food safety, with a particular focus on pathogen inhibition and mitigation techniques, including high-pressure processing (HPP), competitive inhibition through probiotics, lactic acid applications, and bacteriophage technology. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Duke University.