A natural line of defense in food preservation: “Combating food degradation, fighting food waste”

21 Jan 2020 --- Consumers want short ingredient lists detailing natural, recognizable foods which is propelling manufacturers to develop natural preservation solutions across a range of categories. Food safety, extending shelf life naturally and tackling food waste are priorities for the industry. FoodIngredientsFirst examines the latest natural preservation products and techniques and speaks to key players innovating in this space.

New food preservative solutions are essential in global markets as food spoilage is not only expensive, it is wasteful and goes against the principles of sustainability as well as the increasingly common circular economy model that businesses are adopting. Spoilage on the farm, during transportation, on retail shelves and in the home remains under the spotlight. To be part of the “Sustain Domain” -– Innova Market Insights’ number three trend for 2020 – companies seek natural preservation solutions and often place a greater emphasis on the use of organic produce and/or plant-based natural preservation solutions. 

Consumers are also reluctant to accept additives, the so-called “nasties,” and are acutely aware of the environmental impacts of the food they eat. 

Naturex, part of Givaudan, has extensive experience in natural preservation and offers a wide range of plant-based natural preservation solutions that allow manufacturers to achieve naturalness and consumer-friendly labels without compromising performance.

“Natural preservatives are becoming increasingly popular as consumers continue to seek natural and clean label alternatives to conventional additives which can be perceived as unhealthy. Naturex has extensive experience in natural preservation and offers a wide range of plant-based natural preservation solutions that allow manufacturers to achieve naturalness and consumer-friendly labels without compromising performance,” Catherine Bayard Global Product Manager Natural Preservatives at Naturex, part of Givaudan, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Naturex continues to explore the possibilities of this powerful plant alongside other botanical extracts to innovate in the area of natural preservation. “With a team of experts in oxidation and botanical science, Naturex has developed antioxidants and blends with enhanced properties for even the most challenging applications,” she explains. 

Many factors must be taken into account when creating a natural preservation solution including the type of application, production process, and other ingredients used, Bayard adds. These factors have an important impact on the type of actives and the formulation used to properly target certain aspects of the food product.

“Our Natural preservation range, alongside our botanicals-based XtraBlend RN, a natural solution to help maintain freshness in lipid emulsions such as mayonnaise and salad dressings, is backed by solid plant and preservation science guaranteeing consistent and reliable results.” Naturex’s preservation solutions provide a very effective, natural and clean label alternative to the major antioxidants used in processed food. “For example, XtraBlend RN can be used to replace ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in mayonnaise and dressings,” she notes.

“Our Natural preservation solutions also prove very effective in protecting the taste and color of meat, beverages, snacks, and oils and fats,” Bayard continues. 

Natural preservation is, of course, intrinsically linked with the evolution of clean label, a mainstream trend within the food and beverage industry. 

With Naturex now part of Givaudan, it benefits from new resources and technologies that enable the company to intensify efforts toward the objective of offering an alternative to all non-clean label preservative solutions, highlights Bayard.

“With the support of our scientists and application experts, we are investing in research to help food processors combat food degradation throughout shelf life to meet consumer demand for healthy, high-quality products and reduced food waste,” she reveals. 

Some of the key trends impacting the natural preservation space include the consumer desire for sustainability at all levels of the supply chain and a reduction in food waste, notes Michael Matthews, VP Business Development Food Protection, at Kerry. “This means that consumers are worried about food waste at all stages, not just where they see it; in retailers and in the home. Brands can have this conversation with consumers, educating them about what they’re doing from farm to fork to reduce food waste,” he tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “We add value by reducing waste at all stages and our solutions deliver the financial benefit of extra days to the brand owner and fresh-tasting foods and beverages for their consumers.”

To support the growing demand for Kerry’s natural preservation solutions, the company has invested heavily over the last couple of years in expanding its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. “Each year we welcome many customer visits and audits and the feedback we receive is that there aren’t any facilities like Kerry’s anywhere in the world,” Matthews continues. “We acquired Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company in 2018 to further support our natural preservation capabilities. We have a number of additional launches planned for 2020 and beyond which involve multiple technologies which we will be sharing more details for in due course,” he reveals. 

R&D is a priority at Kerry, to ensure the company can harness the broadest range of tools to keep food safe and fresh. Kerry has a portfolio of product offerings across a range of technology platforms that include; fermentation metabolites, vinegar-based ingredients, functional flavors, live cultures and plant extracts which have proven efficacy across all major food and beverage applications. Furthermore, it offers solutions that combine the benefits of multiple technologies into systems that deliver optimized results within its customer’s food or beverage application. Kerry is also continuously adding to its portfolio of natural preservation solutions including several new products which it is currently launching.

Combating pathogens naturally 
Another side to natural preservation involves controlled fermentation, where “good bacteria” is added as an ingredient in food production. Chr. Hansen is one company using good bacteria to prevent and slow down bad bacteria, yeast and mold in food. It uses its expertise in natural bacteria and microbiology to identify and select the best of the good bacteria to do the job of bioprotection. 

Last week, Søren Westh Lonning, Executive Vice President & CFO, spoke to FoodIngredientsFirst about the key market trends that have driven the robust growth at the Danish-headquartered bioscience company.

One of these trends is reducing food waste which relates to the company’s work in bioprotection – a natural way to inhibit spoilage and protect against harmful contamination in food. Chr Hansen saw a 16 percent growth in bio-protection, where bacteria are playing a role to keep food fresh for longer. “This can reduce food waste, as well as clean your label with fewer additives being used, and also reduce the risk of listeria. Preserving the food in a natural way,” Lonning said. 

Biobased food ingredients specialist, Corbion recently expanded its flavor-boosting, listeria-fighting portfolio to enhance food safety. The company launched six new ingredients within its Verdad and PuraQ Arome portfolios. The solutions enhance food safety, stability and flavor profiles across sectors including meat and seafood, bakery, ready-to-eat meals, sauces and dressings. All are marketed as natural alternatives to ingredients like sorbates and benzoates, helping manufacturers to create stable, safe and flavorful products.

“We aim to develop ingredients for our customers to help them keep their products safe, tasty and consistent from the day of production until consumption. Within that field, we continuously develop new ingredients, many of which are natural and based on fermentation. They help to control listeria and other pathogens, for example, as well as contribute to natural shelf-life extension in combination with taste optimization,” Simone Bouman, Sr. Industry Director, Sweet & Savory Food at Corbion, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Two of Corbion’s new ingredients have been developed based on the company’s expertise in preservation and Listeria monocytogenes growth control. Both are not only natural alternatives to traditional additives, they also extend shelf life, while enhancing color retention and maximizing flavor.

For fresh meat suppliers looking to offer simpler, more recognizable labels and shelf appeal, Verdad Avanta F250 is a naturally-derived preservative solution that reduces discoloration over time and guarantees a good sensory experience, notes Corbion. Meanwhile, Verdad Opti.Powder N350, a dry vinegar-based solution optimized for use during the curing process, is marketed as the “first ingredient of its kind on the market” for dry-cured smoked salmon producers to control listeria growth.

Protecting meat, poultry and fish 
US-headquartered nutritional ingredient company, Kemin Industries, also offers a clean label solution, Buffered Vinegar, which is a food safety ingredient to protect meat, poultry and fish. It has a balanced flavor profile and is marketed as an alternative to chemical preservatives. The product also protects deli salads from the growth of spoilage bacteria, while extending the shelf life. Buffered Vinegar also specifically targets foodborne pathogens such as Listeria, Salmonella and E. Coli. 

Manufacturers have traditionally used lactate-diacetate blends to reduce the risk of spoilage bacteria and safeguard food safety. “However, based on the organic acid mode of action, there are other more effective options,” Kelly De Vadder, Marketing Manager of Food Technologies (EMEA) at Kemin, highlights. 

“Kemin’s Buffered Vinegar ingredient for food preservation has no negative effect on meat quality. This includes parameters such as water holding capacity, protein denaturation, color and flavor. This product line is available in both liquid and dry forms, making it easy to add to brines, marinades, spice blends or direct application to meat. Kemin also offers an organic buffered vinegar solution that can be added to organic food products,” she concludes. 

By Gaynor Selby