Meat+Poultry - July 2020 - 75

ADVERTORIAL

"A growing number of meat and poultry processors
are exploring clean-label alternatives to protect product
quality during shelf life," says Courtney Schwartz,
Marketing Director at Kemin. "Plants in the Lamiaceae
family, such as rosemary, contain phenolic diterpenes
that can serve as effective molecules to scavenge
free radicals and delay oxidation in food applications.
When rosemary extract is combined with green tea
extract, a source of molecules known as catechins, the
resulting natural plant extract blend can provide superior
performance to stabilize meat products during shelf life."
Kemin recognizes that the marketplace is changing
and processors must adapt quickly to stay relevant.
Retailers want to stock products that shoppers buy.
That's why Kemin encourages product developers to
work with its Customer Laboratory Services (CLS) team

to formulate fresher, safer, longer shelf life meat and
poultry products.
"The team's technical expertise and problemsolving skills will help you develop a tailored
clean-label solution to assist with producing the
highest-quality product," says Ms. Schwartz. "Our
CLS team provides dedicated support throughout
all phases of testing to understand the influences
of all food ingredients on the stability of your final
product. Whether you are formulating a new product or
reformulating an existing one, CLS can help reduce your
testing time and meet your go-to-market goals."
The research scientists evaluate the oxidative
stability and microbial stability of meat and poultry
products using a combination of analytical techniques
and accelerated oxidation tests. They assist with

maximizing ingredient efficiency by helping to
determine the most effective treatment for the product,
identify the correct inclusion rate and help establish
the best point of application.
As the world acquiesces to the new norm, health
and wellness will be more important than ever, as
consumers embrace the importance in taking care of
the body to fight off invaders. There will likely be an
overhaul of the food supply chain, with a return to
simple, fresh, natural foods, including meat and poultry.
"It will be more important than ever for meat
and poultry manufacturers to meet a wide variety of
demands," says Ms. Schwartz. "Kemin can help with
the perfect solution to best meet brand goals for label
claims and transparency, while managing shelf life and
ultimately pleasing consumers."

PLANT EXTRACTS DELAY LIPID OXIDATION AND OFF-FLAVORS

"Heating, freezing, exposure to oxygen during
storage, and reheating make cooked frozen meat
products very susceptible to oxidation and warmedover flavor development during shelf life," says
Ms. Schwartz. "Most consumers won't repurchase
a product if it does not taste right. The challenge
is that a growing number of consumers won't even
make the initial purchase if the product contains
artificial preservatives, which have long been added
to keep the product tasting fresh."

Ingredient impact on frozen pork sausage patties

4
TBARS (mg/kg)

Source: Kemin Food Technologies

From breakfast sandwiches to bowl meals,
heat-and-eat frozen convenience foods have
become more artisan and premium over the past
few years. Formulators are using fresher ingredients
and removing artificial ones to attract labelreading consumers to the retail freezer for stock-up
purchases.
Many frozen foods contain cooked ground pork
ingredients. Think sausage crumbles and patties, as
well as meatballs and even filled dumplings.

0
Untreated

0.20% Rosemary
Extract

Synthetic Blend

8
0.20% Rosemary
& Green Tea
Extracts Blend

0.30% Rosemary
& Green Tea
Extracts Blend

Kemin investigated how to delay oxidation to
protect the sensory characteristics of cooked frozen
pork sausage using its plant-derived alternatives to
synthetic antioxidants. In this study, FORTIUM ® R10
Dry rosemary extract and FORTIUM® RGT12 Plus Dry
rosemary and green tea extracts were evaluated for
efficacy in delaying undesirable oxidative and flavor
changes in cooked pork sausages stored frozen for
one year. These natural plant extract treatments
were compared to an untreated control and a
treatment containing EN-HANCE ® A105 Liquid, a
blend of four synthetic antioxidants known for being
effective with preserving product quality.
"Our Customer Laboratory Services team
designed a program to measure oxidation using
thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS),
then designed and conducted a 9-point hedonic scale
sensory panel for likeability," says Ms. Schwartz.
"The study showed that a combination of rosemary
and green tea extracts proved more effective than
the untreated control and rosemary extract alone
in delaying oxidation. Using these plant-based
ingredients, cooked frozen pork sausage kept its
consumer-pleasing quality flavor over time."
CONCLUSION: The rosemary and green tea
extracts in FORTIUM® RGT12 Plus Dry should be
considered for cooked pork sausage applications as a
clean-label solution to protect product quality during
long-term frozen storage.

For more information from Kemin, contact kftmarketing@kemin.com.

Meat+Poultry - July 2020

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