High pressure processing of bioactive compositions

A method of treating a bioactive composition to maintain or increase its keeping quality comprising:

• (a) selecting a composition comprising at least one bioactive component selected from one or more proteins, one or more lipids, one or more protein hydrolysates, one or more lipid hydrolysates, one or more carbohydrates, or one or more probiotic factors, or a mixture thereof, the at least one bioactive component being able to retain a desired level of activity after a pressure treatment at a predetermined pressure of from about 350 to 1000 MPa, a pH of from about 3.0 to about 6.0;
• and a hold time of less than about 9 minutes;
• and
• (b) subjecting the composition to a pressure treatment at the predetermined pressure, pH, and hold time to prevent the growth of unwanted organisms that may be present in the composition while retaining at least a desired level of activity of the at least one bioactive component of at least about 35% of the activity of an untreated control.