HPP Raw Pet Food Safety: Myths, Science, and Brands

By Dr. Katie Woodley, integrative veterinarian and founder of The Natural Pet Doctor

High-Pressure Processing, or HPP, is a nonthermal food-safety process that uses intense pressure to reduce pathogens without cooking raw pet food. A common commercial protocol uses approximately 87,000 PSI, although the exact pressure and treatment time vary by manufacturer and recipe.

When properly validated, HPP can achieve a 5-log reduction in targeted organisms such as Salmonella, pathogenic E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. It generally preserves overall nutrient composition, but it can affect enzyme activity, bacteria, texture, color, and protein structure.

Key Takeaways

• What is HPP? A nonthermal safety process that uses intense pressure. Some raw-food manufacturers use approximately 87,000 PSI for three to four minutes to achieve a 5-log reduction in pathogen load.
• Is HPP food still raw? HPP does not use sustained external cooking heat, so the food remains uncooked and is generally marketed as raw.
• Does HPP destroy nutrients? Research indicates minimal overall effects on many nutrients and amino acids. Enzyme activity, bacterial counts, texture, and protein structure can change.
• Does HPP sterilize food? No. A validated 5-log reduction is meaningful, but it is not the same as sterilization or a guarantee of zero pathogens.
• What is the bottom line? HPP is one tool within a complete safety system. Look for high-quality sourcing, recipe-specific validation, finished-product testing, and transparent handling practices.

Watch: The Truth About HPP in Raw Pet Food

In this interview, Dr. Katie Woodley, The Natural Pet Doctor, speaks with Billy Hoekman, Senior Vice President of Nutrition and Formulation at Green Juju, about how HPP works, why the raw-feeding community debates it, and what pet parents should ask manufacturers.

What Is HPP in Raw Pet Food?

HPP places packaged food inside a chamber filled with water. The chamber applies intense, evenly distributed pressure to the food for a specific amount of time.

The pressure disrupts vulnerable structures inside many microorganisms, including cell membranes and proteins required for normal cell function. This can substantially reduce targeted foodborne pathogens without the sustained external heat used in cooking.

Green Juju reports using 87,000 PSI for 180 seconds on products containing ground meat. Other manufacturers may use different combinations of pressure, time, and temperature.

HPP is therefore not one universal recipe. Its effectiveness depends on:

• Pressure and treatment time
• Starting and processing temperature
• Moisture and fat content
• Salt concentration and pH
• The complete food matrix
• The pathogen species and strain

A process validated in one recipe should not automatically be assumed effective in another. Research in commercial raw pet food confirms that HPP performance varies by formulation, pathogen, and processing conditions. See Lee et al., 2023.

What Does a 5-Log Pathogen Reduction Mean?

A 5-log reduction means a treatment reduces the targeted microorganism by 100,000-fold, or 99.999%, under the validated test conditions.

For example, a starting population of 100,000 organisms would be reduced to a probability of approximately one remaining organism. The FDA animal-food guidance explains that microbial-reduction processes cannot technically guarantee zero organisms.

The accurate statement is:

A specific HPP process can be validated to achieve a defined reduction in a specific organism within a specific food.

That is different from claiming that HPP sterilizes food, eliminates every possible hazard, or makes raw pet food completely risk-free.

HPP Raw Pet Food Safety Requires a Complete System

HPP is not a substitute for good manufacturing. It should be one part of a broader food-safety system that includes:

1. High-quality ingredient sourcing and supplier verification
2. Facility sanitation and environmental monitoring
3. Temperature control during manufacturing and distribution
4. A validated pathogen-reduction or inhibition step
5. Finished-product testing and holding lots until results are available
6. Packaging practices designed to reduce recontamination
7. Proper freezing, thawing, storage, and handling in the home

A negative laboratory result also has limitations. Testing evaluates samples from a production lot. It does not treat the food or prove that every portion of the lot is pathogen-free.

How Does HPP Compare With Other Food-Safety Methods?

Raw-food manufacturers use different safety tools. Each method solves a different part of the food-safety problem.

No single method compensates for poor ingredients, inadequate sanitation, or improper handling.

Myth 1: HPP Destroys All Nutrients

Reality: HPP generally preserves overall nutritional quality better than traditional heat processing. It does not erase amino acids, minerals, fats, or vitamins simply because pressure has been applied.

A comprehensive scientific evaluation found that HPP typically has minimal effects on thermally sensitive nutrients compared with heat processing. The exact outcome still depends on the food and treatment conditions. See Koutsoumanis et al., 2022.

Company-generated testing also provides useful recipe-specific information:

• Steve's Real Food reported minimal overall changes across 95 nutritional measures, with moderate changes in four vitamins. The finished diet remained above the cited AAFCO recommendations.
• Viva Raw reported that only one of 50 measured nutrients differed significantly in its 2026 before-and-after testing. Vitamin B3 was approximately 10% higher after HPP.

These are manufacturer studies rather than independent feeding trials, so they should be interpreted accordingly. They still demonstrate why both “HPP destroys nutrition” and “HPP changes absolutely nothing” are overly broad claims.

Myth 2: HPP Makes Raw Food Cooked

Reality: HPP uses pressure rather than sustained external cooking heat. Scientific and regulatory resources classify it as a nonthermal antimicrobial treatment.

Pressure can temporarily increase temperature and may change color, texture, cell membranes, or protein structure. Those changes do not make the process equivalent to conventional cooking.

The most transparent description is:

HPP-treated food is uncooked, but it has undergone a nonthermal safety process.

Government documents use both “high-pressure processing” and “high-pressure pasteurization.” USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service recognizes HPP as an antimicrobial treatment. The word “pasteurization” does not prove that sustained cooking heat was used.

Myth 3: Protein Denaturation Means Nutrient Destruction

Reality: Denaturation changes a protein's three-dimensional shape. It does not automatically remove its amino acids, eliminate its nutritional value, or make it harmful.

Grinding, freezing, fermentation, stomach acid, and cooking can also alter protein structure. The health significance depends on how the change affects digestibility and function.

Research on pressure-treated meat found altered protein structure and increased in-vitro accessibility to digestive enzymes under the tested conditions. See Kaur et al., 2016.

This does not prove every HPP food is more digestible. It shows that “denatured” is not a synonym for “destroyed.”

Myth 4: HPP Eliminates All Microflora

Reality: HPP is not selective for harmful bacteria only. Susceptibility depends on the species, strain, physiological state, pressure, time, and surrounding food.

HPP can reduce pathogens, as well as background and lactic acid bacteria. Viva Raw's testing reported a 3-log to 5-log reduction in lactic acid bacteria after HPP.

However, bacteria naturally present in meat are not necessarily equivalent to probiotics. A probiotic is an identified strain administered in an amount shown to provide a health benefit.

HPP also does not sterilize food. Some organisms may survive, and food can be recontaminated after processing or opening.

Myth 5: HPP Food Damages the Gut Microbiome

Reality: Pressure is applied to the food during manufacturing. It does not remain active inside the meal or continue killing bacteria after the pet eats it.

HPP changes the microbial population in the food. That is not the same as evidence that eating HPP food causes intestinal dysbiosis.

The gut microbiome is influenced by the complete diet, including:

• Protein and fat content
• Fiber and polyphenol diversity
• Digestibility
• Moisture
• Medications
• Stress and emotional health
• The health of the digestive tract

Strong evidence has not established that the mere use of HPP causes dysbiosis in dogs or cats. Comparing otherwise identical HPP and non-HPP diets in controlled feeding studies remains a valuable area for future research.

Myth 6: HPP Replaces Good Sourcing and Handling

Reality: HPP cannot turn poor ingredients into high-quality food or correct an unbalanced formulation.

It also does not protect food from every hazard indefinitely. Important limitations include:

• Greater resistance of bacterial spores
• Differences among pathogen species and strains
• Toxins produced before processing
• Hazards not included in the validation study
• Recontamination after treatment
• Improper thawing, storage, and bowl hygiene

Even HPP-treated raw food requires safe handling. Wash hands and preparation surfaces, clean bowls, thaw food safely, and follow the manufacturer's storage instructions.

How to Evaluate a Raw-Food Brand

Not all HPP processes or raw-food companies are equivalent. Ask every manufacturer these questions:

1. Do you have laboratory data for your specific HPP process and finished recipes?
2. Which pathogens and strains were used to validate your process?
3. What log reduction did each recipe achieve?
4. Do you test and hold finished lots before releasing them?
5. Is the food reopened or repackaged after HPP?
6. How do you monitor the facility for environmental contamination?
7. Do you test nutrient levels after all processing is complete?
8. Can you provide before-and-after data on nutrient or digestibility?
9. What packaging is used, and has it been evaluated under the actual HPP conditions?
10. How quickly can you trace and communicate about an affected lot?

The strongest brands provide recipe-specific data rather than relying solely on general claims about the technology.

Recommended Raw and Fresh Pet-Food Brands

The following companies provide raw or fresh options and emphasize sourcing, safety, testing, or nutritional transparency. Processing methods vary by company and product, so verify the current method for the exact recipe being considered. This is not an all-inclusive list of high quality pet foods. 

• We Feed Raw
• Viva Raw
• Green Juju
• Smallbatch
• AllProvide
• Northwest Naturals
• Solutions Pet Products

The Bottom Line on HPP Raw Pet Food Safety

HPP can provide meaningful pathogen reduction without cooking raw pet food. Evidence suggests that it generally preserves overall nutrient composition, although it can change enzyme activity, bacterial populations, texture, color, and protein structure.

It is not sterilization, a substitute for good sourcing, or proof that one food is appropriate for every dog or cat.

The complete formula, manufacturing system, digestibility, storage practices, and individual pet response remain more important than one processing label.

If a pet experiences chronic diarrhea, vomiting, reflux, itching, repeated food reactions, or difficulty transitioning between diets, changing brands repeatedly may not address the underlying problem. A structured gut-health plan can help identify digestive dysfunction, inflammation, food triggers, and other root causes.

Frequently Asked Questions About HPP Raw Pet Food

Is HPP raw pet food safe?

HPP can substantially reduce specific foodborne pathogens when the process has been validated for the finished recipe. It does not sterilize food or eliminate the need for safe sourcing, testing, cold storage, and handling.

Is HPP raw food still raw?

HPP does not use sustained external cooking heat, so the food remains uncooked and is generally sold as raw. It has still undergone a nonthermal processing step.

Does HPP cook raw dog food?

No. HPP uses intense pressure rather than sustained cooking heat. Pressure can temporarily increase temperature and change texture, color, or protein structure, but it is not equivalent to conventional cooking.

Does HPP destroy nutrients in raw pet food?

Evidence indicates minimal overall effects on many nutrients and amino acids compared with heat processing. Some vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, or other compounds may respond differently depending on the recipe and processing conditions.

Does HPP destroy digestive enzymes?

Not all enzymes respond the same way. HPP may preserve, reduce, or alter enzyme activity depending on the enzyme, pressure, time, temperature, pH, and food matrix.

Does HPP kill beneficial bacteria?

HPP can reduce lactic-acid and background bacteria as well as pathogens. It is not selective for only “bad” bacteria. Naturally occurring meat bacteria should not automatically be treated as equivalent to identified probiotic strains.

Does HPP cause gut dysbiosis in dogs or cats?

Current evidence has not established that HPP itself causes intestinal dysbiosis. The microbiome responds to the complete diet, digestibility, fiber, medications, stress, environment, and the animal's health.

Are all HPP processes equally effective?

No. Pressure, time, temperature, fat, moisture, pH, food composition, pathogen species, and strain all influence the result. Manufacturers should validate the process in each finished recipe.

Does freeze-drying kill the same pathogens as HPP?

No. Freeze-drying removes moisture and restricts microbial growth, but pathogens can survive the process. It should not automatically be treated as a validated pathogen kill step.

Is a 5-log reduction the same as sterilization?

No. A 5-log reduction means a 100,000-fold, or 99.999%, reduction in the targeted organism under validated conditions. It does not guarantee that every microorganism has been eliminated.

Research and Additional Resources

• Green Juju Food-Safety FAQ
• FDA: Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals
• USDA FSIS: Verification Activities for High Pressure Processing
• Koutsoumanis et al., 2022: The Efficacy and Safety of High-Pressure Processing of Food
• Lee et al., 2023: HPP Inactivation of Salmonella, STEC, and Listeria in Raw Diet Pet Foods
• Bolumar et al., 2021: High-Pressure Processing of Meat
• Kaur et al., 2016: HPP Effects on Meat Ultrastructure and Protein Digestibility
• Viva Raw: HPP Research and Before-and-After Testing
• Steve's Real Food: HPP Testing on Raw Meat Diets

This article is for educational purposes only and is not individualized veterinary advice. Consult a veterinarian about the safest and most appropriate diet for an individual pet. Some links above may be affiliate links. If a purchase is made through one of these links, The Natural Pet Doctor may receive a commission at no additional cost to the purchaser.