Method for enhancing the product quality and product safety of meat or foodstuffs of animal or vegetable origin

A method for enhancing the product quality and product safety of meat or other foodstuffs of animal origin by a selective pressure treatment and, at the same time, temperature treatment according to the following steps:

• packaging fresh or warm meat or other foodstuffs of animal origin in portions using a film container which has restoring forces so that escape of liquid is reduced and liquid possibly still escaping from the film container is distributed over a surface of the film container, to form a packaged product;
• introducing the packaged product into a container-like treatment apparatus which comprises a plurality of shapeless structures comprising cushions or hoses to which a pressure and temperature control medium is applied, the cushions or hoses each having a wall with a first side that contacts the packaged product and a second side that is opposite the packaged product;
• filling the shapeless structures with the pressure and temperature control medium on the second side of the wall opposite the packaged product, such that substantially uniform compressive forces act on the packaged product, and the packaged product is kept in a predefined temperature range from approximately 14° C. to 16° C. during a predetermined time window, and
• upon expiry of the predetermined time window, cooling the packaged product rapidly by exchanging the temperature control medium.