‘Groundbreaking’ natural antimicrobial agents developed for meat

Two plant-based antimicrobial ingredients protecting meat against listeria and salmonella contamination have been developed by French business Naturex. 

The Cleanatis antimicrobial range was hailed as “groundbreaking” and a “breakthrough” as the two products prevent meat spoilage, but do not impact taste, unlike other natural antimicrobials, Naturex claimed.

Its two Cleanatis products – M1 and M2 – were developed to flight listeria and salmonella contamination in meat products.

 

Independent tests show M1 stopped the growth of listeria more effectively than classic antimicrobials, such as sodium lactate and sodium acetate. Meanwhile, lab tests on M2 concluded it was more effective than sodium lactate for controlling salmonella growth.

Natural compounds a ‘huge challenge’

Many consumers are no longer willing to accept products that contain ingredients that sound like they are from a chemistry set,” said Catherine Bayard, category manager of Naturex’s Food Preservation unit said.

Increasingly, this trend is taking hold in the meat industry, which has previously presented a huge challenge. For safety reasons, antimicrobials are a necessity, but the natural alternatives available until now have been inadequate.

Cleanatis M1 and M2 completely change all that; they offer meat producers genuinely effective natural solutions to help prevent product spoilage, but without the drawbacks of existing natural antimicrobials, which often have a major impact on the organoleptic properties of the end-product.

Meat processors use antimicrobials to kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms like bacteria, yeast or mould in food products. Using such products is key to ensuring the food reaching consumers stays fresh is safe to eat from production to plate.

Naturex will officially launch the Cleanatis range at the IFT17 Food Expo in Las Vegas, which runs from 26-28 June.