Results of recent global consumer surveys demonstrate to meat and poultry manufacturers why planet-friendliness should factor into their formulation decisions.

Today’s consumers increasingly show a preference for products that include environmental health, among other considerations, as important to them when choosing brands. In a global survey published by GlobalData in November 2022, 63% of respondents agreed that they are more loyal to brands that support green and environmental matters. This lines up with the results of Innova Market Insights’ 2022 Lifestyle & Attitudes Survey, in which, for the second year in a row, consumers ranked the health of the planet even higher than the health of the population. With 7% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by food loss and food waste, these findings suggest that for meat and poultry producers, consumers may be increasingly drawn to brands taking steps to reduce food waste while also reducing their reliance on non-renewable, petroleum-based ingredient solutions.

With this in mind, global ingredient supplier Corbion is leveraging its expertise in using renewable plant sugars to create fermentation-based solutions that deliver longer shelf life and better control of pathogens such as Listeria while preserving brand-defining sensory qualities and critical product performance attributes.

“When we help our customers achieve their preservation goals, prolonging shelf life and safety are, of course, essential,” said Lonneke Van Dijk, senior director, preservation. “But we’re also focusing on preserving flavor, texture, color, cook yield and other attributes that are extremely important to the consumer or to our customer, or both. When we can do that through a solution based on renewable, plant-based raw materials and natural fermentation – which is Corbion’s specialty – we also help our customers create a brand story that matters to most consumers.”

Corbion’s Purasal and Opti.Form sodium and potassium lactate blends have been game-changers for players in the meat industry for more than three decades. These ranges have provided meat producers with solutions for creating formulations that result in products that stay safe and fresh longer. But beyond providing pathogen and spoilage control, Corbion’s lactate-based solutions — unlike many other single-ingredient preservation solutions such as acetates, sorbates and propionates — are optimized for functionality to help manufacturers address multiple challenges, including other aspects of shelf life and quality. These solutions have been shown to improve performance factors like cook yield and slice-ability, helping to reduce both product waste and yield loss by up to 50%. Corbion’s expert technical service staff work closely with customers to identify and implement the optimal blend to deliver the combination of attributes crucial to the success of the final product.

“Reducing food waste is an aspect of sustainability we know consumers care about, but it’s also critical to our customers’ profitability,” adds Simone Bouman, regional vice president-sustainable food solutions, EMEA. “Even after leveraging the capabilities of our lactate-based solutions in the meat industry for so many years, we are as excited as ever about what we can do with our broad range of renewable ingredients, including natural vinegars, low-sodium options, antioxidants, and lactate- and vinegar-based combinations that deliver optimal preservation performance. We can help our customers achieve their business goals while giving consumers what they want in terms of safety, quality and even planet-friendly formulations.”

Source: Corbion