As more people are dining at home, time-strapped consumers are relying increasingly on prepared or partially prepared proteins that they can finish quickly in the kitchen. Shoppers also are weary of meat spoilage, and manufacturers now want to be twice as sure that their product is safe.
In addition, the current market structure also imposes longer times in storage and distribution systems. All these factors contribute to the demand for shelf-life extension ingredients for proteins, says Kantha Shelke, principal at Corvus Blue LLC, Chicago.