Danisco puts clean-label preservative options firmly on the table
The BioVia YM 10 branded product promises to extend the shelf-life of food products to the same extent as chemical preservatives like potassium sorbate, said the company.
The patent-pending product – initially only available in the US – is described as a blend of cultured dextrose and plant extracts.
According to Danisco data, the product is effective against mold, particularly difficult-to-control spoilage yeasts. In a test with barbecue sauce inoculated with a cocktail of acid preservative-resistant yeasts at high levels, the new preservative at a level of 0.5% held yeast to undetectable levels for over 100 days: Similar to results obtained with potassium sorbate.
“Food manufacturers are well aware of consumer demand for more natural products with friendlier labels, but many have hesitated to choose a natural food protection solution because they wanted every bit of the effectiveness they could get from traditional chemical alternatives,” said Brett Thompson, global product manager at Danisco.
“We think BioVia will change that. It simply takes that objection to natural solutions off the table,” added Thompson.
Use
A spokesperson for the company told FoodNavigator-USA that the product is intended for use in select culinary applications such as dressings, sauces, condiments and fresh salsa. “Additional applications are pending regulatory approval.”
“Ideally, the product should be added to an aqueous phase and should never be mixed directly into a fat phase, such as soybean oil.
“BioVia YM 10 is very easily dispersed in water or vinegar and subsequently added into the product matrix,” added the spokesperson.
The product is described by Danisco as a “natural, sustainable solution with a clean labeling option”.
It is said to be effectiveness against yeast and mold over a pH range of 2 to 7.
Availability
“With the initial introduction here in the U.S., and Canada and Mexico soon to follow in the coming weeks, we expect to begin rolling out to other regions globally in 2012,” said the spokesperson.
