Abstract: A food product heat treatment apparatus for heat-sensitive fluid food products, including an inlet for supplying the food product, an outlet for discharging the heat treated food product, a holding device downstream the inlet for holding the food product a specific time at a specific temperature, and a back pressure device downstream the holding device, wherein the holding device is a positive displacement holding device and/or a self cleaning holding device. A method for heat treating a heat-sensitive fluid food product, including supplying the food product to an inlet, heat treating the food product by holding the food product a specific time at a specific temperature in a holding device, providing a back pressure device downstream the holding device, and discharging the heat treated food product through an outlet, wherein the back pressure device includes a cooled valve and/or the food product is positively displaced through the holding device.