PET Food Processing - September 2018 - 56

FORMULATION

"Acids affect
metabolism of
microbial cells in such
a way that eventually
leads to cell death."
Lynn Deffenbaugh, Ph.D., Kemin

Effective microbial
shelf-life preservation
is a critical factor in
the long-term market
success of many
types of pet treats.
Buhler

ing pathways and genic expression, and platelet antiaggregant capacity," she says.
When evaluating traditional versus natural additives,
Monteleone says processors need to use a trial-and-error
approach. "Each pet food category has challenges, and
it's important to validate the performance of the pet food
and antioxidant over an extended period," he says. "This
will give greater predictability on outcome and shelf life,
taking into considerations variations and inconstancies in ingredient quality and fat quality. It's no longer
acceptable to 'hedge high' by 'just adding more' antioxidant. Now it's the antioxidant suppliers' responsibility to
work to help the pet food producer."
Jennifer Igou, general manager for Camlin Fine
Sciences (CFS) North America LLC, Urbandale, Iowa,
says there are challenges of using traditional antioxidants including chemical sounding names that aren't
consumer friendly. The consumer trend is toward more
naturally derived antioxidants. Additionally, some synthetic antioxidants can potentially have negative health
effects for pets.
"Animal- and fish-based fats and oils can be effectively
stabilized with natural antioxidant systems; however, it
is costly and requires more attention to the details," she
says. "Most natural antioxidant systems are built on a
backbone of mixed tocopherols carried in a vegetable
oil with added natural flavors, chelators and emulsifiers.
Proper dilution, effective carriers and uniform dispersion are vital to successful use of these compounds."
With a significantly higher cost compared to traditional synthetic antioxidants, natural antioxidants can
create potential flavor concerns in finished foods and
solubility issues. "In general, the use of antioxidants is
market driven," Igou says. "Pet owners will spend more
for the health of their pets compared to the animal feed
market concentrating on costs."
Consumer perception continues to be a hurdle for
traditional additives. "Continuous consumer education
is critical to help them fully understand the safety of
these technologies," Mason says.

PET FOOD PROCESSING | September 2018 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

Products on the market
When Balchem's PetShure Lactic Acid, Citric Acid and
GDL is added to the matrix and thermally processed, the
encapsulated acid is released, thereby, reducing the pH
of the matrix. "This pH reduction is a hurdle to microbial growth," Mason says.
Kemin markets PrevION VC Dry which contains
natural sources of citric acid and buffered vinegar, both
acidifiers, says Deffenbaugh. Kemin's Allinsur M-TC
Dry is formulated to control microbial growth and
oxidation in wet meat slurries. "This product is especially effective for mold control in semi-moist treats,"
Deffenbaugh says.
Monteleone says FoodSafe's SafeNature line uses tocopherol antioxidants and includes US-produced, soyfree, sunflower and GMO-free varieties for enhanced
label claims. FoodSafe's Meat DefendR wash is an antimicrobial wash intended to significantly reduce pathogen loads, including the number of colony forming units
(CFUs) on the surface of whole muscle cuts, he says.
CFS offers traditional and natural shelf-life solutions.
"Either separately or in combination, BHA, BHT and
propyl gallate are effective in low concentrations to stabilize oils and fats, animal protein meals and finished
products that are highly susceptible to oxidation," Igou
says. CFS's Xtendra traditional shelf-life solutions utilize
ingredients that have been long proven to protect the
oxidative stability of pet food products from the raw material stage through to the finished product.
Igou adds, "NaSure plant-based shelf life solutions are
the natural option when an extended shelf life is needed.
Rosemary extracts, green tea extracts and mixed tocopherols are just some of the natural ingredients used
in antioxidant formulas that are high in antioxidant activity and very effective."
Selecting traditional or natural antioxidants is a complex decision for processors. Each formulation requires
a balance of ingredients to provide reliable product
safety and stability and, at the same time, meet the label
requirements consumers prefer.
PFP

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PET Food Processing - September 2018

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