SINGAPORE – Kemin Industries, a global ingredient supplier for the food and beverage industry, has launched the BactoCEASE, its all-natural food safety solution for the meat, poultry and seafood to the Asia-Pacific region.
Kemin explains that BactoCEASE is a solution that delays the growth of bacteria in meat, poultry and seafood products, and proven to keep the total viable count of microorganisms within the regulated standard.
The ingredients manufacturer said BactoCEASE can extend the shelf life of food products just as effectively as synthetic preservatives without negatively impacting the product’s texture or flavor.
According to the company, the solution can replace other other artificial antimicrobials used in food production such as sodium lactate, sodium diacetate solutions to meet the growing consumer demand for clean-label ingredients.
“The world population is growing at a rapid rate, and we need smart and innovative solutions to make our resources go the extra mile,” said Michelle Lim, President, Kemin Food Technologies – Asia.
“Our latest solution, BactoCEASE NV, highlights Kemin’s commitment to sustainably transform lives around the world. This commitment starts with the products we develop. We aim to focus our sustainability on healthy people, a healthy planet and healthy business.
“BactoCEASE NV, an antimicrobial shelf-life solution, helps ensure food safety for people, reduces food waste for the planet and, thus, provides assurance of quality and safety to food brands and businesses.”
Meat products tend to have a short shelf life because they are highly susceptible to deterioration in quality and contamination by foodborne microorganisms – factors that can cause biological and chemical changes in meat, leading to food safety concerns.
Globally, microorganism contamination is one of the main factors that results in food recalls.
Common bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus Aureus, as well as cold-tolerant pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes, cause serious foodborne health hazards.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, 7.9 million kilograms of meat and poultry products were recalled due to bacteria contamination in the U.S. in 2018 alone.
A study conducted by associate professor Robert Scharff from Ohio State University found that medical costs, productivity losses and repercussions due to death or lost quality of life caused by foodborne illnesses cost the U.S. as much as USD$93.2 billion annually.
Kemin said that its new antimicrobial solution BactoCEASE targets global concern over foodborne pathogens.
The acetic acid-based ingredient is said to have the ability to delay the growth of foodborne microorganisms and meet microbiological food safety criteria of total aerobic microbial count and total coliform microbiological standards under food regulations.
According to the company, BactoCEASE is suitable for use in both ready-to-eat and cooked meat products, such as marinated meat, freshly cut meat and even processed meat.
