Naturex and Galactic to Partner on New Preservation Solutions

15 Nov 2013 --- Galactic, the world expert in lactic acid and lactates based natural ingredients, and Naturex, the global leader in specialty plant-based natural ingredients, have launched a joint research program to develop a range of preservation systems that include both anti-microbial and antioxidant protection.

Karine Morel, Communication Manager at Naturex confirmed to FoodIngredientsFirst that the ingredients being investigated are rosemary extracts for antioxidants (Naturex expertise) and lactic acid and lactates for antimicrobials (Galactic expertise). “The first sector of investigation will be the meat sector (both raw and cooked, cured and uncured meat). The preservation needs are not the same for each of the categories so we would like to develop a range of products that will meet the requirements of each of application. Fish and seafood applications will be investigated in the second phase of the project,” she explained.

Guaranteeing adequate shelf life for food and beverage products can be particularly challenging for manufacturers who are seeking natural solutions. Products must be safe to consume and keep their organoleptic properties. Preservation thus requires a combination of 2 types of ingredients, which must be synchronized to have the same duration of efficacy in order to optimize cost. Combining their respective areas of expertise in natural food safety and natural antioxidant solutions, Galactic and Naturex will develop standardized and all-in-one shelf life solutions tailored to each type of application. “This partnership aims at creating a palette of preservation systems that will help manufacturers to simplify product development,” said Jean-Christophe Bogaert, Director - Sales, Marketing & Business Development at Galactic.

Jean-Christophe Bogaert co-heads the research program with François-Xavier Pierre, R&D Food Manager at Naturex. The team brings together the R&D and application laboratories of the two companies. Scientists will explore the possibilities of integrating complementary preservation systems, as well as creating synergistic blends from a selection of materials and incorporating them into the final application. “Besides proper calibration, we go beyond a simple combination of 2 ingredients, we will offer tested and proven comprehensive solutions for different matrices,” explained Pierre from Naturex.

The R&D team will mainly focus on applications where both food safety and organoleptic properties play an important role. The first results of this long-term collaboration will be unveiled in 2014.

Since 1994 Galactic has become one of the world’s greatest leaders in biotechnology serving the food, feed, personal & health care, and industrial markets. Based on its valuable experience in the fermentation of lactic acid and other derivatives, Galactic continuously develops sustainable, innovative and health-friendly solutions in the field of food safety, nutrition and green chemistry. With headquarters in Belgium, production facilities in the United States (Milwaukee), China (Bengbu) and Europe (Escanaffles), and sales offices in Belgium (Brussels), Italy (Milan), Japan (Tokyo) and Brazil (Curitiba), Galactic employs more than 350 people worldwide and is active in almost 65 countries.

Naturex is the global leader in specialty plant-based natural ingredients. Through its dedicated business units, the Group addresses the specific needs of 3 strategic markets: Food & Beverage, Nutrition & Health, and Personal Care. The company offers its customers a full array of high quality ingredients, responsibly sourced from nature for food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic applications.

Naturex’s head office is Avignon, France. The company employs more than 1,400 people and benefits from 8 sourcing offices around the world and high-performance manufacturing operations across 15 sites in Europe, Morocco, the United States, Brazil, Australia, and India. It also has a global commercial presence through a dedicated network of sales offices in more than 20 countries.