Multifaceted, Natural Preservation

In a year already rife with recalls and food-safety scares, consumers are more cautious than ever about the food they buy for their families.

In the current food climate, consumers are evermore interested in food products that are either natural or clean-label," says David Meggs, business development director, food, Purac. These consumers are more aware of ingredient declarations than ever before. They desire food that they feel is good for them and their families, and products that they feel are healthy alternatives. Often, this means avoiding foods with chemical preservatives which some feel are not optimal for their diets."

Purac has developed a wide range of natural preservation products to help manufacturers achieve clean labels. The companys PuraQ® Verdad line of cultured ferments contains blends of organic acids. The products benefits are two-fold: They offer significant shelf-life extension (up to 50% or more) and, depending on the product, fully inhibit pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 when used at the appropriate levels.

The Verdad products allow food manufacturers to avoid using chemical preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate," Meggs notes, and they are labeled as cultured sugar," thus allowing for a cleaner label.

The consumer-friendly ingredients can also help boost flavor and may also aid sodium reduction in a variety of food products. PuraQ Verdad NV10, NV15 and NV55 can enhance the brothy, meaty notes in meat products. In food products such as spinach dip, hummus and deli salads, PuraQ Verdad RV70 and RV75 have been found to enhance spicy flavors and salt perception, often allowing formulators to reduce sodium by as much as 20% to 25% while maintaining a similar flavor profile and improving the shelf life," Meggs says. From a texture standpoint, these products have been found to increase the juiciness and tenderness of meat products and the creaminess of certain food products."

The full line includes: PuraQ Verdad NV10, labeled as cultured corn sugar" and used primarily for shelf-life extension in fresh meats; PuraQ Verdad NV15, labeled as cultured corn sugar, vinegar" and used to control L. monocytogenes in cured, ready-to-eat (RTE) meats; PuraQ Verdad NV55, labeled as cultured sugar, vinegar" and used to control L. monocytogenes in uncured RTE meats; PuraQ Verdad RV70, labeled as cultured sugar" and used primarily to control yeasts, molds and L. monocytogenes in refrigerated food products (RTE meals, pastas, soups and sauces) with a pH from 5 to 6; and PuraQ Verdad RV75, labeled as cultured sugar" and used to control yeasts, molds and L. monocytogenes in refrigerated and acidified food products around pH 5, such as deli salads, dips, spreads, and sauces and dressings.

Purac America

111 Barclay Boulevard

Lincolnshire, IL 60069

Phone: 847/634-6330

Fax: 847/634-1992

Website: purac.com