The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a low acid food product. The low acid food product is first acidified to produce an acidified food product and then packaged as the acidified food product. The acidifying step comprises addition of a GRAS acid to adjust the pH to below about 4.5. The acidified food product is then deacidified to return the acidified food product to the low acid food product having a pH above 4.6. The deacidification is accomplished through the addition of an alkaline substance in an amount sufficient to deacidify the acidified food product to a pH of from about 5.8 to about 7.5.