Purac Launches New Preservation Solution for Refrigerated Food

PuraQ Safe RS39 is a mildly flavored blend of natural lactic acid and vinegar, which is used to increase shelf life and maximize food safety in many different food products.

Sep 22 2011 --- Purac launches PuraQ Safe RS39 a new preservation product for refrigerated food. PuraQ Safe RS39 is designed to control Listeria monocytogenes and is a great match with mildly acidified food, such as deli salads, sauces, brines and dressings.

With 80 years of experience, Purac is an expert in the field of organic acids and food microbiology. Using this extensive knowledge, Purac has developed PuraQ Safe RS39 a robust food safety hurdle for refrigerated food products. Several studies have shown that PuraQ Safe RS39 fully controls the foodborne pathogen Listeria, as well as spoilage microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The results of these studies have helped perfect Purac’s predictive Listeria Control Model, which has been proven in various applications.

PuraQ Safe RS39 is a mildly flavored blend of natural lactic acid and vinegar, which is used to increase shelf life and maximize food safety in many different food products. As an extension of our service, PuraQ Safe RS39 has been incorporated into a new modeling tool, which helps to predict the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food. Using PuraQ Safe RS39 is proven to be highly effective against the food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat products, including deli salads. Purac provides data supporting the effect of PuraQ Safe RS39 and other products through the Listeria Control Model.

PuraQ Safe RS39 was evaluated by an external research centre for its effectiveness against Listeria monocytogenes in refrigerated salads. Different types of salads were separately inoculated with a cocktail of three L. monocytogenes strains. The trials were conducted at different temperatures, representing refrigeration and typical abuse temperatures over the shelf life of the products. A part of this study is published in this document. In this trial, PuraQ Safe RS39 demonstrated outstanding performance against L. monocytogenes in turkey salad, even after 49 days.

PuraQ Safe RS39 can add extra shelf life to food products by suppressing growth of important spoilage organisms, such as lactic acid bacteria. In an inoculation study with a refrigerated turkey salad, the effectiveness of PuraQ Safe RS39 was tested against the lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum. In this study, the shelf life of the turkey salad was extended significantly by the use of PuraQ Safe RS39. After addition of PuraQ Safe RS39, L. plantarum showed no growth during the complete 60 days trial. Further supporting data with other salads or different pH and temperature settings are available.

In order to minimize the need for food safety testing, Purac has developed a new model that can accurately predict the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in food products. The Purac Listeria Control Model will predict Listeria growth in salads and prepared meals, based on a 90% and 95% confidence interval. The models describe the growth kinetics of L. monocytogenes as a function of temperature, pH, lactate, lactic acid, acetic acid, water content and salt concentration. The Listeria control model is a unique and useful tool for food processors manufacturing products, such as deli salads to help determine the risk of Listeria growth, and to determine the proper usage level of Purac products for Listeria monocytogenes control.

“For years, product developers from all over the world have used our Listeria Control Model to ensure their products meet the latest food safety regulations,” said Ivo van der Linden, Category Manager Preservation at Purac. “Combining products from the PuraQ portfolio, such as the new PuraQ Safe RS39, with our predictive models and our extensive application research, provides a solid foundation for shortening development time and creating safer products. It allows manufacturers to move away from the usual limitations when developing tastier and safer products."