All-Natural Sanitizers and Preservatives

An increasing concern for food safety and industry focus on clean labels inspired P.L. Thomas & Co., and Grow Green Industries (GGI) to partner in commercializing GGIs new line of all-natural food-safety and shelf-life enhancement solutions.

The products, eatSafe Natural Food Wash and eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial are the result of a multiyear research effort into effective end-to-end alternatives to synthetic food sanitizers and preservatives. Both products can be used in a variety of applications, including fresh produce, seafood, juices, concentrates, dips, sauces, and various prepared and processed foods. The patent-pending products are synergistic complexes of GRAS and OMRI-listed components that allow food and beverage producers to achieve the cleaner labels that consumers desire.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates roughly 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people) become ill from food annually. According to Devin Stagg, director of corporate strategy, the problem is worth our attention; the new line is a direct response to the growing desire for a healthy approach to food safety. "What got us particularly excited about this product line was its ability to offer a clean label and broad spectrum solution without impacting the sensory characteristics of the target food or beverage," he says.

GGI has performed extensive research to demonstrate the products efficacy against a wide range of mold, yeast and bacteria. For example, eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial in dip and sauce applications proved a more effective shelf-life enhancer than sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, while also improving the overall flavor profiles of the tested formulas. In third-party lab tests done on fresh produce, eatSafe Natural Food Wash removed 99.9% of bacteria and more than 98% of pesticide residuesmaking it a suitable replacement for chlorine-based sanitizers.

Mary Hiner, director of food and beverage business development, says feedback on the product line has been extremely positive. "Our customers have been providing very positive feedback and we are encouraged by the volume of interest and scale-up testing that is taking place," she says.

P.L. Thomas & Co., Inc.

119 Headquarters Plaza

Morristown, NJ 07960

Phone: 973/984-0900

Website: plthomas.com