What process ensures that products are packaged prior to being processed in the retort?

High-Pressure Processing (HPP) is the correct answer because it involves packaging food products before they undergo the actual processing. This method utilizes high levels of isostatic pressure to inactivate harmful microorganisms and enzymes that can affect the safety and quality of food. The process effectively sterilizes the food while it remains sealed in its packaging, preserving flavor, texture, and nutrients more effectively than other methods.

In contrast, pasteurization is a heat treatment process that does not involve packaging the food before treatment. It typically involves heating the product to a specific temperature for a set period to kill pathogenic bacteria and extends the shelf life of the product, but it requires the food to be in bulk before packaging.

Thermal processing, while similar to pasteurization, typically involves subjecting packaged food to high temperatures, often in a retort, but it does not specifically ensure that the food is packaged prior to processing. The emphasis is more on achieving a certain level of sterility post-packaging rather than packaging before processing.

Freeze-Drying is a preservation technique that involves removing moisture from food after it has been frozen, and it does not relate to the prior packaging of products for processing. It emphasizes minimizing moisture rather than preparing products in a packaged state for subsequent