In today's food industry, the importance of clean labels, shelf-life extension, consumer preferences, and cost considerations cannot be overstated. 

Modern consumers are increasingly attentive to the ingredients in their foods, with half of both online and in-person shoppers regularly scrutinizing product labels, according to the 2023 IFIC Food and Health Survey¹. These consumers are scrutinizing product labels to determine which food they will purchase. They might be evaluating products based on front-of-pack claims, nutrition call-outs, or ingredient declarations. A significant portion of shoppers (34%) consider the absence of artificial ingredients a key indicator of healthfulness, followed by “no additives” (26%) and organic labels (22%), as highlighted in the 2024 IFIC Consumer Research on public perceptions of processed foods². 

Food manufacturers are taking note of this growing trend and developing new products that cater to this group of consumers. According to Innova, between 2018 and 2023, 63% of new product launches in the meat, deli, and poultry categories featured a "no additives or preservatives" claim³. To be an evolving partner for food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers are innovating their portfolios —a dding effective solutions that align with consumer demands for transparency and natural ingredients.

A word of caution: Labels and ingredient statements cannot outweigh the importance of protecting product integrity throughout the stated shelf life. Shelf life is a critical factor in product development within the meat industry, significantly influencing both consumer satisfaction and economic outcomes. 

Meat products traverse multiple stages in the value chain before reaching consumer refrigerators, requiring robust shelf-life solutions to ensure freshness upon purchase. Consumers expect their meat to remain safe and fresh after purchase, driving demand for effective preservation methods. Achieving extended shelf-life targets not only enhances consumer trust but also yields substantial financial benefits for producers and retailers. 

Longer shelf-life reduces waste, optimizes inventory management, and ensures product availability, directly contributing to improved profitability across the supply chain. The high economic impact of shelf life is why it is an important topic to pair with the conversation around clean label and easily recognized ingredients. For new clean label ingredients to be appealing, they need to have efficacies similar to those of their conventional counterparts. 

The clean label trend has grown significantly in recent years, driven by consumer demands for more natural and minimally processed foods. This trend emphasizes the use of recognizable and simple ingredients in food products. One key outcome of this trend is the increased use of natural antimicrobials. Initially, the industry relied heavily on traditional preservatives such as lactate and diacetate to control microbial growth. While these compounds were effective, they did not align with the clean label ethos. 

As consumer preferences shifted, vinegar emerged as a popular clean label antimicrobial. Its efficacy and natural origin made it a suitable alternative to traditional preservatives. Further developments introduced cultured dextrose and sugar, which are produced through fermentation processes. These ingredients are recognized as safe and are listed on labels in a way that resonates with consumers seeking fewer artificial ingredients.

Vinegar is an excellent source of Listeria control, although it has limitations when controlling spoilage. To combat this issue, vinegars can be paired with other natural antimicrobials such as cultured sugar or cultured dextrose to provide additional spoilage control and shelf-life extension. This is especially critical for high-moisture and low-salt applications.

Adopting natural antimicrobials such as vinegar and cultured dextrose highlights the industry's commitment to meeting the evolving consumer demands. Similarly, there also will be a need for ingredient suppliers to continually optimize their portfolios to match consumer expectations. So, what is next for natural antimicrobials? 

Advances in biotechnology have led to the use of new substrates, instead of traditional sugar or dextrose, for culturing; this allows for development of new, sophisticated and effective natural antimicrobials. These substrates, like onion, are selected to match the consumer’s desire for recognizable ingredients while providing similar efficacy to their conventional counterparts. Continuous innovation in this space underscores the potential for further growth and development, ensuring that food-safety standards are upheld without compromising consumer preferences for clean and natural ingredients.

Sources

¹International Food Information Council. 2023 Food & Health Survey. Published 23 May 2023. [https://foodinsight.org/2023-food-health-survey/]

²International Food Information Council. 2024 IFIC Consumer Research: Public Perceptions of Processed Foods. Published 29 January 2024. [https://foodinsight.org/consumer-survey-processed-foods-in-a-healthy-diet/]
³Innova General Database