This review highlights the current knowledge on gelation of hydrocolloids induced by high pressure processing (HPP) of dairy products. Pressure-induced gelation of single systems (casein rich, whey protein rich, gelatin, and polysaccharide solutions) as well as rheological and thermo-mechanical effects of HPP on mixture systems are discussed. The mechanism of dairy protein gelation under pressure, their properties and microstructure, and potential application of HPP to improve physical properties of dairy products (cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream) are included. HPP is a promising tool for future manufacturing of structured dairy products with unique sensorial properties. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.