While the cost-effective production of meat, poultry & fish products is an ever-present topic for food development teams, the safety of these food products as well as the eating quality remains a of great interest within the industry.

With South Africans having dealt with increased bouts of load shedding recently, the spoilage of meat products has been thrusted back into the spotlight. Assisting producers with the supply of wholesome and safe to consume products is a key fundamental for us at Brenntag. We also assist our customers in developing great tasting food products through our technical expertise and supplier support.
Inhibiting spoilage of meat products
To address the issue of food safety in meat products, we have partnered with Corbion, a supplier of a range of food ingredients and solutions for use in foodstuffs to reduce the susceptibility microbiological spoilage of such products. When it comes to food safety, few products can perform as well as our Opti.Form Powder. Opti.Form delivers top-shelf Listeria control and extends shelf life, all while improving yield, purge and texture in meat and poultry products. The product is a very effective antimicrobial powder blend suitable for use in dry blend and liquid applications. It’s low dosage rate makes it a very cost-effective solution for use in a wide range of applications and is often incorporated in batch pack solutions or can be used directly in emulsions and/or brine solutions. We have seen the impact that of Listeria in the ready-to-eat meat segment and recommend this offering for the control of Listeria specifically. As noted, its blend of antimicrobials with sodium lactate, sodium acetate and sodium diacetate combined with the specific production method, makes this a highly effective food safety offering.
Dealing with sodium reduction challenges
The use of salt as an antimicrobial agent in lowering the water activity and enhancing flavour is well documented, but this humble ingredient also plays a role in food texture. Salt, however, has several functionalities in meat products from allowing proteins to bind more fat and water to controlling colour development in fresh meat products. Reduction of salt drives in regulation has led to a plethora of solutions with the initial being Potassium and yeast based to ensure that the umami flavour profile is well maintained. These do have their own challenges, as the balance of providing safe to consume and great tasting processed meat and poultry products need to be maintained. A very good solution in our arsenal of products include a fermentation based flavouring solution in our PuraQ Arome NA4, with Purasal HiPure P Plus also a good alternative. Apart from these Brenntag can also provide animal proteins to further enhance flavour in meat dishes and/or stocks. Brenntag’s Food Solutions division has developed their own range of blends and solutions to aid food producers in providing products with reduced salt and more specifically sodium contents. This combined with ingredients from our ingredients partners allows to offer a wide range of solutions to our customers who seek to deliver great tasting products while adhering to strict regulatory requirements.
Succulence in meat
Phosphates have been used for the “unfolding” of proteins to allow for improved moisture binding for almost a century. With increased consumer demand for the reduction or complete removal of these salts for a cleaner label offering, producers have yet another challenge to contend with. While there are various hydrocolloid offerings that can be used to help bind water, the specific functionality of phosphates to use muscle fibres to bind inherent water makes it somewhat unique as a food ingredient. Continued pressure for replacement or removal thereof has led to some advances where phosphate-free brines are being offered. The use of fibres in such solutions can allow for cost savings, improved moisture binding, easier injection processes and even improved sensory aspects such as juiciness and texture. Whether you are producing fresh, frozen or IQF products, we can assist in providing you with a suitable solution such as our Chicken 150 offering recently showcased at FIE Frankfurt.
Breaded or battered
Whether your preference is for breaded or battered meat, poultry, or fish offerings, the additional flavour and texture these coating systems provide cannot be denied. They are intended to create a tasty crust, with a degree of crunch and flavour profile dependent on the type of coating used. Producers may choose either method though a good understanding of the end application and desired functional profiles are important. Breadings are all about providing an additional sensory dimension to meat and poultry products through their contribution of colour, flavour and texture. These adds a protective layer keeping the protein tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. A double breading process, yields better coverage, appearance and hold times. Such a system is a dry application that will typically provide sufficient oil uptake and moisture loss to ensure the correct sensory elements as noted before. Batters on the other hand are wet application products that will set during the frying process to provide the desired coating. While also providing a substrate for flavour and colour delivery, batters are much softer coatings than breading systems. We understand the need for a two stage or three stage coating system and can help you develop the most suitable offering through our ingredient offering. So, whatever your desired end product, let us help you develop the right product you need or improve based on the latest market trends.