PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pressure thawing and sterilizing method which, under application of pressure of 120 to 200 MPa for 5 to 60 minutes which is considered not to cause discoloration and denaturation of food, achieves sterilization of food with stronger bactericidal activity without the help of an additive and without using a high temperature condition.SOLUTION: Provided is a pressure thawing and sterilizing method which, when pressure sterilizing a frozen material, prevents premelting of a surface of the frozen material by covering the frozen material with an appropriate heat insulator and controls pressurization and heating rates so that temperature of all parts of the frozen material passes through a maximum ice crystal formation temperature zone at the time of set pressure by optimizing a rate of temperature increase. Further, provided is a pressure thawing and sterilizing method which prevents premelting of the surface by using an antifreeze liquid as a pressurizing medium and adjusting temperature of the pressurizing medium to the melting point or less at a set pressure, and controls pressurization and heating rates so that temperature of the frozen material passes through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature zone at the time of set pressure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
