Extending shelf life with natural antioxidants in food preservation and ingredients

Antioxidants can be used to delay the oxidative rancidity of fats in stored foods, thereby maintaining product appeal and extending shelf-life. With consumers demanding natural ingredients and cleaner labels, there is huge potential to improve the product and label appeal by choosing natural antioxidants.

Plant-derived antioxidants

Synthetic antioxidants have been the norm due to their stability and performance, relatively low cost, and wide availability. However, there are food safety concerns relating to their longer-term consumption, with some research suggesting that they may lead to health issues such as skin allergies, gastrointestinal tract issues, and, in some cases, an increased cancer risk (3).

Natural antioxidants are derived from plants and can typically be categorised as phenolic, vitamin (typically E and C), or carotenoid. In a world where consumers are demanding natural and plant-based solutions, efficacious natural antioxidants play a major role in clean-label claims.

“Kalsec® Inc has found that whilst over 60% of consumers actively avoid preservatives, they are still focused on reducing food waste from both an economic and environmental viewpoint”, Gareth Jones, Product Manager for Food Protection at Kalsec, states. “Kalsec natural antioxidants can help customers achieve a good shelf life from natural products while using ingredients consumers recognize and understand.”

But which natural antioxidants are suitable for a given food matrix?

Natural antioxidant beneficial effects for meat and bakery

Natural plant ingredients known to provide antioxidant capabilities for meat preservation include:

• Rosemary and green tea (both high in polyphenols)
• Acerola - a sub-tropical fruit that is extremely high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
• Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) - can be derived from oils such as olive, sunflower, or corn.

Rosemary extracts, which are high in polyphenols, help retain fresh meat colour. By combining acerola extract with these rosemary extracts, additional protection can be delivered in various packaging and display conditions, as the acerola further inhibits oxidation.

In cured meats, acerola extract functions as a strong nitrite-reducing agent without a large impact on product pH, thus accelerating and improving the rate of cured colour development. It also serves as an oxygen scavenger and helps prevent oxidation and colour fading during its shelf life.

Rosemary extracts are also invaluable antioxidants in baked goods by reducing rancid off-flavours and off-aromas.

Food matrices are complex, and so are the commercial processes that create them. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the available natural antioxidants, and their synergies within the context of the product and process: To maximise efficacy.

Oxidation Management Systems by Kalsec

Kalsec has created the Duralox ® Oxidation Management Systems, designed for specific products and food processing conditions, unique to each application.

The Duralox system optimises antioxidant properties for each given food matrix, capitalising on the synergies of its key antioxidant components, namely rosemary (Herbalox ®), green tea, acerola, and tocopherols.

If extending product appeal and shelf life are some of your current formulation challenges, the technical specialists from the Foodology by Univar Solutions team are here to help create your winning recipe.