A High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) treatment was evaluated to extend the shelf-life or eliminate the post-slicing microbial population of some packaged cooked meat products stored at 4 ± 2°C for up to 120 days. The meat products that did not undergo HHP treatment were subject to deterioration, which was caused by an increase in lactic acid bacteria, shortly after packaging. In the treated samples, on the other hand, there was a significant delay in the growth of the microorganisms associated with deterioration and this helped to maintain the sensory freshness of the cooked ham and porchetta slices for at least 120 days, and of mortadella slices for at least 60 days. The HHP treatment did not completely decontaminate the microbial population made up of Coagulase Negative Cocci and lactic acid bacteria. As a matter of fact, even if their presence was not noted immediately (time 0) after the treatment, (<2 log UFC/g limit threshold method), the bacteria that did survive the treatment has actually grown over time and after 120 days, could be observed at concentration levels less than 5 log CFU/g. On the contrary, in the untreated samples the concentration exceeded 7 log UFC/g and therefore made the product unfit for consumption.
