Clean label ingredients for seafood

EVEN fish and seafood manufacturers have to adopt clean label ingredients and more transparent processes, to help cut costs and improve efficiency, said Ulrick & Short. The British clean label starch specialist has been involved in encouraging the reduction and removal of phosphates in processed prawns and fish, including scampi. By specifying clean label, non-GM replacement ingredients, more fish and seafood processors can benefit from reduced costs and improved health claims, the company said. 

Many industry leaders are cleaning up their products by replacing ‘rogue’ ingredients such as phosphates and modified starches, which have been used historically to help increase product yield and improve product moistness.

According to Ulrick & Short, its clean label solutions can address the industry’s challenges, and meet demand for many applications, from soaking and tumbling to coatings, batters and sauces. One is the Ezimoist allergen-free starches which are suited for soaking whole white fish and prawns, whilst also proving useful in tumbling applications. 

For products such as fishcakes, the U&S range of Complex binders are invaluable in ensuring the integrity of the product with no detriment to flavour and moistness, whilst also facilitating a wheat based label declaration. 

Besides improving basic yield and succulence, the company has also focused on ingredients that improve adhesion in tempura batters, and increase crispness in breaded products and coatings. As an added bonus, the company specialises in clean label starches that help to achieve texture stability in sauces, an essential element of many fish dishes and ready meals. 

The Delyte range of functional fat replacers reduce fat in sauces of all types whilst maintaining or even enhancing mouthfeel and indulgence, making nutritional fish dishes even healthier.

Director Adrian Short explained: “There’s no doubt that fish and seafood companies are much more aware of consumer demand for healthier products that look appetising and don’t compromise indulgence, and are responding accordingly. At Ulrick & Short we have a team of food technologists dedicated to helping our customers find the best way to achieve excellence in their products and processes whilst also reducing costs. We’re confident that we offer the widest range of functional clean label ingredients available from any one British supplier and we would urge manufacturers in fish, seafood, coatings and sauces to take advantage of our technical expertise to identify and address the challenges they face.”

Ulrick & Short’s raw materials are processed by accredited partners worldwide and the quality of the ingredients is assured by the controlled environment of the company’s own development kitchens. Rigorous procedures and audits are independently assessed each year against the NSF-CMi Due Diligence Standard for which Ulrick & Short holds the gold standard.

Quality standards are also vigorously analysed at its manufacturing partners’ sites. This unique active approach has aligned the company with international production facilities that have achieved the highest levels in BRC’s Global Standard for Food Safety and ISO 22000.