Transatlantic joint venture gains USDA approval

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted approval for a proprietary formulation of lactoferrin. The ruling paves the way for the commercial application of this new food safety technology.

Activated Lactoferrin, as it is called, will be used as a carcass rinse during processing to further protect beef from harmful bacteria. This all-natural food safety technology will be marketed as Activin​ by aLF Ventures, a joint venture between Farmland National Beef and DMV International.

The Activin system includes application of Activated Lactoferrin, a milk derived protein fraction that has been activated to work the same way on the meat surface that mammalian milk works to protect infants from harmful bacteria. Activated Lactoferrin protects beef against E.coli O157:H7 and more than 30 different types of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella and Campylobacter.

It also prevents pathogenic bacteria from attaching to meat surfaces and can also be used to inhibit the growth of bacteria. The Activin system is expected to be in use at Farmland National beef plants later this summer.

"This is an important milestone for DMV International,"​ said Xander Wessels, managing director of DMV International. "We entered into a joint venture to facilitate development and marketing of the Activin system."​

Farmland National Beef Packing Company is the US largest beef packing company that is fully owned by producers. Farmland National Beef, the fourth-largest beef packing company in the US with annual sales of over $3 billion, processes and markets fresh beef products for domestic and international markets.

DMV International​ is one of the largest producers and marketers of lactoferrin worldwide and has developed extensive patented production technology for lactoferrin. DMV International is part of the Netherlands- based international dairy company, Campina, with an annual turnover of €3.9 billion.