Growing shift toward natural antimicrobials

DEMAND for pathogen-free food, driven by greater emphasis on safety, is boosting the use of natural preservatives, finds Frost & Sullivan Synthetic antimicrobials are gradually being overtaken by natural alternatives due to the increasing hype over the latter's health benefits, according to the "Global Advances and Trends in Food Antimicrobials" report from Frost & Sullivan. At the same time, technological advances are expected to modify the undesirable properties of synthetic antimicrobials, thereby improving product quality and contributing to an expanded application base. Advances in nanotechnology will be the future of food preservation, the report predicts. However, to increase consumer acceptance, the industry needs further clinical studies. "Continuous demand for increased food safety and pathogen-free foods is driving the processing and food industry to develop new solutions to counter microbial growth," notes Technical Insights research analyst Nandini Ishwarakrishnan. "Amongst such solutions is antimicrobial packaging that lowers the use of antimicrobials in food and bacteriophages, a promising technology that ensures food safety by resolving contamination problems in the food processing stage." Natural substances for preservation More recently, consumers have switched to foods that are additive-free, natural, or contain natural-base products. This is pressuring the food industry to develop and use natural antimicrobials, such as those derived from plants and animal sources. Synthetic antimicrobials usage remains at the forefront, however, as they effectively impede the growth of a wide range of microorganisms in food. "There has been an increased interest in the use of substances such as enzymes and live cultures to preserve food," states research analyst Bhavatharini Rajesh. "The shift to other methods such as irradiation, aseptic packaging, and sterilisation during processing and natural foods could have an impact on the usage of antimicrobials, compelling food manufacturers to seek substitutes for synthetic antimicrobials," Rajesh explains. New avenues for food preservation The use of alternative preservation techniques such as high-pressure processing, pasteurisation, irradiation, ultraviolet light and pulsed electric field (PEF) has opened new avenues for food preservation and that extend shelf life without compromising on quality, thus minimising the need to use antimicrobials. Food irradiation is used extensively to prevent spoilage in meat and dairy industries, though the application areas differ in each country. The use of modified atmosphere packaging has reduced antimicrobials' usage as it has the ability to modify atmospheric contents in the package. This method is commonly used to preserve red meat and bakery products such as bread. Aseptic filling is another method followed by companies to decrease antimicrobial usage. "Companies should focus on the use of combinatorial techniques such as pasteurisation or high pressure processing, along with the use of antimicrobials, to completely eliminate microbial growth on food substances, thereby not altering the original sensory characteristics of the food," concludes Ishwarakrishnan. (the end)Air Max 95 20th Anniversary