CHO cell viability in CO2 saturated media

Thermal food preservation is a standard technique for reducing the microbial levels in food. The use of high pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) has been proposed as alternative “cold pasteurization”. It is known that excess CO₂ exerts inhibitory effects on cell growth and even cell death. For cell disruption and consequently cell death we can also use a method of a rapid decompression from a pressure vessel, known as a “cell bomb”. In this study we have evaluated the effects of CO₂ on CHO cell growth and effects of a rapid decompression from relatively low pressure, 500 kPa. A rapid pressure decompression had no effect on cell growth. When CHO cells were exposed to the medium with dissolved CO₂ we noticed a small decrease in cell viability in exposures longer than 45 minutes.