Keep it Fresh - Kemin 2021 - 5

Kemin celebrates 25 years of supplying rosemary extract
to manage oxidation.
FORTIUM®
R rosemary
extract is a clean-label solution
to help meat and plant-based
meat alternative brands
control oxidation and maintain
freshness and quality. Addition
can assist with extending shelf
life by delaying color and flavor
degradation.
Kemin is one of the largest
growers of vertically integrated
rosemary in the world, and the
only supplier that is Sustainably
Grown Certified®
by SCS Global
Services. With a proprietary
rosemary extraction process
that delivers a highly refined,
homogeneous solution, Kemin
offers a more consistent extract
that contains standardized
levels of carnosic acid, the
active ingredient for oxidation
management.
Domestically grown, traditional
and organic options are available
as oil- and water-dispersible
systems. The ingredient comes in
dry and liquid forms in a variety of
concentrations to best meet the
needs of the brand.
" Our sustainable, vertically
integrated rosemary crop
production allows our customers
to feel at ease knowing that
they have a safe and consistent
supply, " says Ms. Schwartz.
Meeting the demands of the
refrigerated plant-based case.
Consumer interest in ready-to-cook plant-based
meat alternatives is pushing brands to go beyond
traditional freezer offerings into convenient,
refrigerated products. These products now face
shelf-life constraints previously managed by
freezing temperatures and cardboard packaging.
" Many consumers want to reduce meat intake
while maintaining protein consumption, so they
are substituting with plant-based meat alternatives
that offer a taste and texture similar to meat, " says
Courtney Schwartz, Marketing Director at Kemin.
" While shoppers are looking for these better-foryou
products to promote health and wellbeing,
they are also mindful of choosing products that are
convenient and easy to prepare. As manufacturers
move from solely frozen plant-based meat
alternatives to new refrigerated options, protecting
product integrity is critical to ensuring taste and
the meat-like texture remain intact. "
This shift towards fresh over frozen leaves
brands facing product quality challenges, namely
lipid oxidation, which is accelerated by exposure
to retail lights, as well as temperature fluctuations.
In general, the more polyunsaturated fatty acids
(unstable double bonds) on a fat molecule, the
faster it will go rancid. While coconut oil, a highly
saturated fat, has been a dominant fat in plantbased
meats, this is changing as formulators try to
make products more heart healthy.
" Fat systems are a key component of greattasting,
plant-based meat alternatives, yet the
oxidation of fat and oil components in these
products is a common challenge for brands, " says
Ms. Schwartz. " It can be very difficult to deliver
the texture and flavor consumers desire if your
product isn't properly protected from oxidation at
the onset of production. "
That's because once a fat is oxidized through
a process known as auto-oxidation, there is no
turning back. Even if an antioxidant is added, any
objectionable colors, flavors or odors that have
developed will remain.
5
Keep it Fresh - Kemin 2021

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