A process for preserving frozen ground meat comprises the steps of a) packaging frozen ground meat in a sealed package; b) placing the packaged frozen ground meat in a pressurization vessel and closing the vessel; c) pressurizing the pressurization vessel containing the packaged frozen ground meat to an elevated pressure of at least about 50,000 psi pressure so the packaged frozen ground meat is placed under the elevated pressure; d) maintaining the elevated pressure on the packaged frozen ground meat for a time of from about 1 to about 300 seconds and at a temperature of from about −50° to about 45° F.; e) then reducing the pressure on the packaged frozen ground meat to ambient pressure; and f) removing the packaged frozen ground meat from the pressurization vessel. Pathogens are effectively killed using this process, providing manufacturing efficiencies and longer product shelf life as compared to other ground meat handling procedures.
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