food Archives - Amerex Ingredientes

Nuria Lázaro is the R&D and Quality Manager for Amerex’s technical team. She holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. She brings her experience in food preservation and safety, specializing in legislation and the development of new preservatives and antioxidants.

FOOD LABELING AND CONSUMER DECISIONS

27 March, 2023/by Nuria Lázaro

Welcome one more day to Amerex’ Blog! By the end of last year FAO published a proposed standard to update the definition of one of the most popular claims regarding the nutritional content of foods, the one referring to the term “healthy”. This update on the definition of “healthy” on food labels is a very interesting and relevant topic for the food industry. Providing informative and accessible food labelling empowers consumers and can help foster a healthier food supply for all. In this post we aim to put this proposal into context and highlight again the importance of transparent and clean labelling for consumers.

What does “healthy” mean on food labels?

In 1994, the FDA issued a regulation defining “healthy” as an implied nutrient content claim. At that time, implied nutrient content claims focused on the individual nutrients contained in foods. For example, these specific criteria for individual nutrients that must be complied within the food to be declared as “healthy” are: limits on total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and minimum amounts of nutrients whose consumption is encouraged, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein and dietary fiber.

However, this current definition of “healthy” is outdated. This update of the term is proposed to accurately represent that nutrient levels in food can help consumers maintain healthy dietary practices, since in the United States diet-related chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability.

Comida vegetariana, sana y equilibrada. Imagen de Freepik

What changes are being proposed to the definition of “healthy”?

The proposed changes to the definition of “healthy” are in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 and the updated Nutrition Facts label, focusing on the consumption of key elements of a healthy dietary pattern, which can help consumers maintain healthy dietary practices and achieve a diet in line with recommendations.

For example, to include the “healthy” claim on packaging, a cereal would have to contain a certain amount of whole grains and meet limits for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. Nuts and seeds, high-fat fish such as salmon, certain oils and water are examples of foods that cannot currently be labelled as “healthy” but are part of a healthy dietary pattern and are recommended by the Dietary Guidelines. Therefore, they could carry the “healthy” claim under the proposed new definition announced by FAO.

Many food companies could certainly benefit from this claim as long as food labelling is accurate, transparent, informative and accessible to consumers, including those who are less nutritionally aware, and they are able to identify foods that will help them build healthy eating patterns.

How does food labelling information affect consumers’ purchasing decisions?

Food labelling is an important tool used by consumers to make informed decisions about the products they purchase. The information provided on product labels, including the list of ingredients, can significantly affect their purchasing decision. For example, the new definition of “healthy” will encourage a healthier food supply that includes fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains, and limits saturated fat, sodium and added sugars in its products, and consumers may have the ability to choose based on this.

In particular, the clean label trend has led to an increased focus on the transparency and simplicity of product labels. Consumers are looking for clear and precise labels that allow them to easily understand what they are buying, and by providing transparent and detailed information about product ingredients, food manufacturers can gain consumers’ trust and foster a long-term loyal relationship with them. Proper product labelling is therefore an essential part of succeeding in the food and beverage market.

Muestra una mujer viendo la etiqueta de un zumo. Imagen de Freepik

How can companies of the food industry adapt to changes in clean labelling?

To face changes in a product clean labelling, companies in the food industry can consider several strategies. First, it is important to review and update their product labels to ensure that they comply with the new regulations. This may involve eliminating or reducing artificial ingredients and additives, simplifying the list of ingredients and including clearer information about the origin and quality of ingredients.

Another strategy that companies can follow is to work with high-quality, honest ingredient suppliers. This can help ensure that products are more sustainable and healthy, which at the same time can improve consumer confidence and brand perception.

In addition, it is important to be aware of rising trends and changing consumer demands. The food industry is dynamic and companies must be able to adapt quickly to changes in consumer preferences. Therefore, developing new products or adjusting existing products to meet consumer demands is a very important thing.

To sum up, companies in the food industry can implement clean labelling by reviewing and updating their product labels, collaborating with high-quality ingredient experts to create innovative and customized solutions, and constantly monitoring consumer trends and demands to bring new products to market. To do so, it makes sense to think about improving your brand perception by meeting the needs of consumers who are looking for healthier, more sustainable and transparent foods.

What can Amerex do to help you stay ahead in clean food labelling?

At Amerex we are aware of the importance of offering innovative, high quality solutions that adapt to the changing needs of the market, right now with clean label on the rise. Our product range includes clean label solutions with natural ingredients that can meet these demands. With these solutions we can replace additives and treatments used in manufacturing processes, such as lac t ic acid or HPP, with successful and achievable results in all types of foods.

In addition, we work closely with our customers to understand their specific needs and develop customized solutions that enable them to meet clean label requirements. We use our ingredient and food formulation expertise to help food companies create products that not only fulfill consumer expectations, but are also cost-effective and sustainable.

Contact us to learn more about these alternatives and to develop products that are aligned with the current trends!

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

Nuria Lázaro is the R&D and Quality Manager for Amerex’s technical team. She holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. She brings her experience in food preservation and safety, specializing in legislation and the development of new preservatives and antioxidants.

THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANOLEPTIC ANALYSIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL FOODS

1 February, 2023/by Nuria Lázaro

Welcome back to the Amerex Blog! In this post we will talk about the influence of organoleptic analysis in the development of a new food. The organoleptic control of a food is established through qualitative assessments of a sample by experts through the senses of sight, smell, taste and touch. This seems to be a very subjective concept, but it is carried out through quantitative and very rigorous methods that ensure high quality results that can be very relevant for the food industry.

The objective of an organoleptic analysis is to determine how consumers will respond to a new product before its launch, in order to have the possibility of improving and changing it in case its quality is not sufficient to make it a successful launch.

Why should food companies be concerned about organoleptic control?

Manufacturers from the food sector are constantly working on the R&D of their products to meet the demands of consumers. These consumers are continuously evolving and requiring new products (different from those existing) and having different needs that are increasingly oriented towards healthy and clean products. However, the latest statistics tell us that not even 25% of the foods developed by these companies succeed in entering the market.

Therefore, they should use organoleptic analysis to predict the success or not of the launch of a new food or beverage on the market. This method enables the use of expert sensory evaluation to understand the consumer’s perception of a product. It also allows to adapt the product to said consumers and to predict its success before the final launch.

Not only R&D but every department of a food manufacturing company (especially manufacturing, marketing and sales) must be aligned to develop and launch products that meet the demands and expectations of their potential consumers.

What stages must a food go through during its formulation to ensure its organoleptic quality?

There are certain stages in the manufacture of a novel food that allow it to achieve ideal consumer acceptance, and thus ensure that its future performance in the market is positive.

A first stage would include everything related to the organoleptic control of the food. Starting with a screening phase of the organoleptic test to be carried out to determine the quality of the food. In this phase we must choose the most appropriate type of analysis for the food depending on the information we want to gather from it. For example, it is not the same to carry out a sensory evaluation of the organoleptic characteristics to find out if a product is liked, as it is to determine the differences between two formulations and to evaluate these differences. Also, a statistical design will have to be prepared to optimise the tests in order to obtain as much information as possible with as few tastings as possible. And last but not least, the panel of tasters should be selected including expert panel evaluators and/or representative consumers.

The second stage is the actual performance of the sensory test, when the tasters evaluate the different organoleptic characteristics of the food: colour, flavour, smell and texture.

A third stage will be the analysis and interpretation of the results, and will end with the fourth stage of validation and redesign of the product to further adapt its organoleptic characteristics and achieve the final food that will be placed on the supermarket.

As a food manufacturer, what can you do to try to ensure a successful launch of your product?

The truth is that launching a product and making it a hit is difficult, and there is no way to predict exactly how a new product will perform in the supermarket. Nevertheless, there are some recommendations to optimise the sensory evaluation of different samples and increase their chances of success.

You can carry out organoleptic pre-testing with different target population groups for the product you are developing. As part of it, you can focus the conditions of the product so that it completely reflect the result of the analysis that has been carried out.

Other factors such as taking extreme care of the quality of all ingredients that are part of the final food, ensuring good practices and being transparent in the information of these ingredients through labelling and product display help in making the product a hit and not a miss.

Finally, to keep assessing end-customer acceptance through different tools such as satisfaction surveys or other market research.

How can Amerex help you improve the organoleptic qualities of your product?

As we have said before, it should not be forgotten that today’s food and beverage consumers are becoming more demanding and expect certain characteristics in their food that were not so much taken into account until the last few years, such as natural ingredients and additive-free labels.

At Amerex, we manufacture preservation solutions that also help to improve the organoleptic properties of foodstuffs. Not only through starter cultures and their enzymatic activities that give good colour, flavour and aroma in the sausage. Also with our wide range of natural ingredients BIAMEX and SAFEMIX that help to maintain the organoleptic condition of the food during its shelf-life.

Is it possible to create a more homemade product without the use of additives or treatments?

Our company can also help you in the reduction of artificial additives and treatments to obtain a more natural and homemade organoleptic in your final product. For example, in ready-to-eat meals that attempt to imitate the most traditional dishes by removing acidifiers that lower pH and change viscosity and colour. You can see an example here.

We are available to answer your questions about improving the organoleptic quality of your product while maintaining microbiological safety and clean labelling through the use of natural and healthy ingredients. Contact us!

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

Nuria Lázaro is the R&D and Quality Manager for Amerex’s technical team. She holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. She brings her experience in food preservation and safety, specializing in legislation and the development of new preservatives and antioxidants.

THE MEANING OF THE CLEAN LABEL ON FOOD

30 November, 2022/by Patricia Rodrigo

In the last few years, labelling has become more and more important to target a product effectively under the consumer’s eyes. Labelling is increasingly evolving to meet the trends and objectives of society. In this regard, the focus today is to have a clean label, which is based on providing information as simple and understandable as possible, and always free of artificial ingredients and/or E-numbers registered in European regulations. In this blog post we will explain a little bit more about the meaning of the clean label on food.

What does it mean when I have a clean label product?

In fact, the term clean label has no “official” or legal definition, as it was created in a casual way between industry and consumers in response to trends towards healthier lifestyle. Therefore, there will be different definitions or interpretations. For example, some say that clean label products are those that do not contain E-number additives, while others also claim that they are allergen-free products. In short, we can say that a clean label product aims to classify the ingredients of the food, making it easily identifiable and giving a healthier perception.

Heart-shaped foods that represent healthy living

Why is this clean labelling trend becoming so important?

As mentioned before, clean label products have recently gained more and more popularity among consumers, mostly because they meet the needs of those who are conscious about their diet, in other words, the needs of those who are aware of the ingredients in the products brought to their table, and who deliberately avoid foods that contain synthetic ingredients or additives. This trend is becoming particularly important among young people, who are realising earlier that they want healthy, clean and transparent food.

A different term is “clear label”, which is intended to make products clearer in their content claims and/or nutritional information. However, it should not be mistaken with the term clean label, which literally means that the ingredients of a product do not contain E-numbers.

What are the labelling characteristics of clean label products?

Clean label products base their labelling on three basic characteristics, which are described below.

Less ingredients, but still safe

Today’s consumers consider that the most natural products are those with fewer additives in their composition, while keeping the same characteristics and maintaining a less artificial, more natural and homemade organoleptic. In addition, we must not lose sight of the fact that the lack of certain elements in the product can lead to a significant reduction in its shelf-life. Therefore, manufacturers must find ways to balance the safety of their products and the customer’s demand to consume more natural foods in order to meet this clean labelling profile.

Natural alternatives to artificial additives

Clean label products should be natural solutions to additives and other artificial ingredients. As an example, it is common to replace preservative E-330 or citric acid with lemon juice concentrate. While citric acid is faster in its action and neutral in taste, the lemon juice concentrate requires R&D to establish the most suitable use and dosage, both for functionality and organoleptic characteristics.

Also from our own company, Fermitrat Export to remove lactic / acetic acid, Safemix-AV as an alternative to sulphites or Biamex-YM to replace sorbate.

Processing and manufacturing of the product

On the other hand, it is also important that clean label products explain the manufacturing processes and the supply chain they go through. The ultimate aim is for consumers to be able to know the full traceability of the food they buy, which will generate greater reliability towards the product and towards the food company that manufactures it.

What can I do as a food manufacturer to include clean labelling as part of my products?

Companies are always changing to face the needs and demands of their environment, and this new approach to labelling is no exception. Consumers want to be sure that their choices are valid for their shopping basket, so it is an absolute must for companies to try to guarantee all the requirements mentioned above.

At Amerex, we believe that there are some essential questions that should be answered when making the switch to a clean labelling on food. Just because we want to improve labelling does not mean that we should remove ingredients no matter what. When replacing an E-number additive with a natural alternative, it must be effective and guarantee a similar shelf life and organoleptic properties to those achieved with additives.

Is the clean label preservative effective in food?

Food will always need ingredients, additives or flavourings, whether natural or synthetic. It is imperative for a company to consider these differences, as the ultimate goal is that food safety is fully guaranteed and it will depend on the chosen ingredients to be added to the food.

Furthermore, it is not only this choice between natural ingredients or additives that is important. We understand food protection as a system of barriers in which the application of any of the following strategies contributes to the final result: good manufacturing practices, heat treatments / HPP, packaging, storage…

Do we acknowledge the technology by which the clean label preservative works in food?

It is important to be transparent and ethical in the communication of the product’s mechanisms of action. Amerex solutions contain well-known and widely used ingredients, with no hidden additives. Any additional barrier to increase safety is always welcome as long as it is placed in a regulated framework and contains complete and accurate information for the consumer.

Is the natural preservative a cost-effective alternative?

As we have demonstrated in other blog posts and can further explain to you in a chat with us, using these natural preservatives is always an investment and not an expense. Beyond the fact that they will normally be more expensive than chemical preservatives, the differences are narrowed by the lower dosages used. And most importantly, when using them we avoid brand damage and quantifiable gains as you are not wasting spoiled product. This solution pays for itself and is aligned with today’s popular circular economy.

Where can I find natural and clean label alternatives for my products?

At Amerex, we always claim for clean labelling on food, as we rely on our biotechnology-based solutions for the development of clean label products that protect against the growth of pathogens and other spoilage microorganisms, and which also prevent commercial food defects (acidity, colour, gas, etc.). As well as improving the organoleptic properties of the final product, making it more attractive to the consumer.

We support our customers on how to obtain a cost-effective, safe and innovative manufacturing process in line with current trends in labelling, whilst putting the needs and well-being of the company and its products first.

Ultimately, we are able to guarantee natural, safe and transparent ingredients for the consumer. No matter which sector you are in, contact us because we can help you find natural alternatives for achieving your desired clean label product.

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

Patricia Rodrigo

Patricia Rodrigo is Head of Marketing & Product at Amerex. With a background in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Biotechnology Business Management, her work focuses on research and communication of natural alternatives to additives, conservation strategies, and pathogen control in various food groups for the industry.

BEST PRACTICES IN FOOD HANDLING

18 November, 2022/by Patricia Rodrigo

Hello everyone and welcome again to our Blog! In this post we will talk about a very important and often neglected topic, best practices in food handling. One of the most common health problems in our society is the emergence of foodborne diseases. These can already exist or be generated from the manufacturing of the food to its commercialisation, so we have to be aware of the necessity to comply with the strict requirements established for the correct manufacture and handling of the food.

Manufacturers working with all hygienic measures for food handling.

What are the risks of poor food handling?

As we have just mentioned, the contamination risks to which food is exposed happen throughout the whole food chain. It is therefore essential to take extreme precautions when working with foodstuffs in order to avoid the hazards caused by poor food handling. These hazards include the following.

Physical hazards

Meaning any foreign body that is present in a food and that comes from contamination during processing operations or from external contamination. Some of the causes that trigger these hazards are:

Carelessness in the process resulting in leftover packaging material, plastics, glass, metal splinters, other foreign bodies…
Bad practices by the handlers due to the presence of rings or other accessories, band-aids, etc.
Contamination of the raw material with pieces of plant material, bones, shells, etc.
Other causes of contamination

Chemical hazards

They are associated with wastes of products used in the manufacturing, processing, transport and/or storage of food. These include disinfectants, pesticides, or heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury or tin.

Biological hazards

Meaning all contaminations that cause food poisoning, including the presence of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi, parasites and viruses that come from the air, water and soil. Bacteria and viruses are the most dangerous for food safety, causing diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, or gastroenteritis caused by norovirus. To avoid all these dangers, at Amerex we have developed and implemented our FSSC 22000 system and we follow very strict process management protocols to control these risks in each and every one of our manufacturing stages.

Is it necessary to take hygienic measures in food handling?

We have already discussed the hazards, it is now time to assess the causes. Almost all of them are due to poor handling practices, so for the food sector, a strict training and awareness of good hygiene practices is essential. That hygiene rules must be followed to avoid any type of contamination in the manufacturing of food. These rules include both the hygiene practices of the employees who will be in contact with food and the way food is handled.

Hygiene measures for food handlers

When handling food it is necessary to pay attention to clothing and accessories. It is important to wear specific clothing and footwear and to wear mask and hats to prevent hair loss when in contact with food. In addition, jewellery or other personal items should not be worn meanwhile perfumes, shaving lotions and other items with specific odours that can cause food to undergo physical and chemical alterations should be avoided.

Food handlers should thoroughly wash their hands, arms, forearms and fingernails at the beginning and end of the day. They should also repeat this process when starting over work after a break or when changing tasks. After sneezing, blowing their nose, going to the toilet and touching other devices or materials it is important to wash hands. In addition, extreme caution should be exercised in all these measures in the event of exposure to raw food.

Cuts and abrasions on the skin should be covered with a bandage tinted with a metal strip of a different colour than the product being treated and additional single-use gloves should be worn if these injuries take place on hands.

Hygiene rules should also be taken into account to avoid transfer of pathogens from the mouth and nostrils to food. Avoiding coughing or sneezing in the direction of handled products, using disposable tissues and not eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum throughout food manufacturing are essential measures to avoid contamination.

What precautions should we take when handling food?

When handling food there are a number of hygienic recommendations that should also be taken into consideration:

Do not handle dirty food or food picked up from the floor.
Avoid the use of wooden utensils
Use single-use hand paper
Do not place food or trays on the floor
Defrost food in an optimal way and never refreeze a defrosted product
Do not use sawdust or cardboard on the floor
Use different utensils for raw and cooked food
Never bring raw food in contact with food that has already been cooked or is being consumed fresh.
Use a food thermometer to check the optimum cooking temperature of food.

To avoid food poisoning, it is essential to take into consideration all the advice given in this Blog post and making the best practices in food handling an essential routine, even in our own homes.

How can the care for best practices in food handling be improved?

We have mentioned before our commitment to food safety and food security. At Amerex, in addition to maintaining our FSSC 22000 standard to guarantee the manufacturing of safe and harmless food, our entire company is informed of our food safety policy and best practices in food handling. We even remind people of this protocols through annual safety awareness days. We also have a specialised safety team always aware of any hazards that compromise the safety of the final product.

Do you still have any doubts about the care and attention we take in best practices? Contact us and we will answer any questions you may have.

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

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Patricia Rodrigo

Patricia Rodrigo is Head of Marketing & Product at Amerex. With a background in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Biotechnology Business Management, her work focuses on research and communication of natural alternatives to additives, conservation strategies, and pathogen control in various food groups for the industry.

THE ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITY OF FOOD

2 September, 2022/by admin

The improvement of the organoleptic characteristics of food can be achieved through the use of additives but also with the use of natural ingredients. In this blog post we will find out how this can be done, which tests the food industry uses to upgrade their products, and which examples of natural ingredients help to improve the organoleptic quality of food.

What are the general properties of food?

Consumers value four groups of food characteristics for their consumption:

Sensory or organoleptic characteristics – Colour, taste and smell of the food
Physical characteristics – Texture
Nutritional characteristics
Temporal characteristics – Shelf-life of the food

What are the organoleptic characteristics of food?

The four main organoleptic characteristics of food are colour, taste, smell and texture. These are characteristics that we perceive through our senses and which are decisive in the first impression of the food that we are going to eat. It is therefore very important to take them into account.

Colour

Colour is key in the consumer’s perception of food. It is the first thing we see and it tells us what chemical reactions have taken place during the shelf-life of the food, from manufacturing to consumption. Colour changes in food can show up due to the exposure to light or air, both catalysts in the biochemical reaction that create peroxides responsible for food oxidations. This oxidation results in colour changes from fresh to spoil.

Colour measurement is an effective thermometer in many cases to determine this type of deterioration. Techniques such as spectrophotometry or technologies such as Minolta are used to evaluate colour changes and use well-defined scales to compare the colour of both liquid and solid foods.

Taste

Five types of flavours are identified in the food industry: salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami. It is also possible to distinguish between slow tastes and immediate tastes.

In general, all substances have a single taste that is made up of several different flavours.

Smell

Odour is defined by the different volatile substances that are present in food that either come from the food itself naturally, or are the result of adding flavouring ingredients into the food.

When a food is spoiled, it is easy to detect it by the smell.

Texture

Texture is definitely another factor to be taken into consideration, since we use our sense of touch to evaluate food’s condition and choose the one that best suits our own preferences. Some parameters for evaluation are hardness, thickness, viscosity or rigidity. The consumer knows how to detect when any of these parameters becomes unpleasant and that is automatically related to a microbiological alteration that results in us avoiding its consumption.

Se muestra cómo unos técnicos comprueban la textura de un embutido

What additives and ingredients does the industry use to boost the organoleptic quality of food?

Substances used by the food industry to boost the organoleptic quality of food can be divided into two groups: artificial additives and natural ingredients.

Ingredients such as spices, in the same way as salt for preservation or vinegar to extend the shelf-life of food, have properties that improve the organoleptic quality of food.

For example rosemary extract, which not only ensures the flavour and colour of food but also provides aroma and works as an antioxidant. Others such as basil, parsley, oregano or dill enhance flavours, while saffron, turmeric or curry modify the colour while providing food a special aroma and flavour. Other spices provide even more intense flavours, such as pepper or chilli that give a spicy vibe to our food. Many fruits and vegetables also improve the organoleptic characteristics of food thanks to their high pigmentation. Beetroot or blueberries provide more intense tones, while bananas, dates or figs substitute sugars for sweetness.

How to analyse the organoleptic qualities of food in order to know its quality?

We can determine the organoleptic quality of foods by means of many tests to get an idea of their characteristics. One of the most decisive factors in testing is perception, which is evaluated by thresholds. A threshold is the value at which the effects of a stimulus become perceptible to the senses. This threshold is made from the active ingredients in the food within the organoleptic scope. There are several thresholds of perception:

The detection threshold, the minimum amount of an odorant to be detected.
The recognition threshold is the level of a stimulus needed not only to be detected but also recognized.
The differential threshold is the magnitude of change in the stimulus necessary to generate an alteration that is perceptible.
The terminal threshold is the maximum value of a stimulus above which an increase in intensity is not perceived.

Perception is the response to organoleptic characteristics. It is therefore a true reflection of food quality that the food industry uses to evaluate consumers. The trend analysis for this evaluation are carried out by quality technicians with different backgrounds such as nutritionists, chemists and engineers. In order to determine the organoleptic quality of a foodstuff, the so-called organoleptic analysis or tasting panels are also carried out. These are qualitative expert assessments based on the evaluation of a sample through the senses. The senses involved in organoleptic analysis are sight, smell, taste and touch, and this analysis is subjective in any case.

How to improve the organoleptic characteristics of food by using natural ingredients?

At Amerex we are always committed to natural ingredients as preservative solutions, which not only help to improve the shelf-life of foodstuffs but also their organoleptic properties.

We have a wide range of ripening starters that through enzymatic activities of microorganisms are able to generate a good colour, flavour and aroma in the sausage. In addition, preservative solutions that maintain the organoleptic condition of the food during its shelf-life. Or even solutions based on yeast technology to provide specific and traditional organoleptic characteristics to the final product.

Replacing chemical additives with natural ingredients is possible, and it also means an upgrade in those products that consumers are increasingly demanding. The clean label philosophy is here to stay, and many manufacturers are committed to meeting the needs of a more demanding end customer.

Contact us to find out about our products that can fit in any food, from meat to vegan products, dairy, fish, ready meals, beverages and sauces or bakery products. We are available for you!

Contact us for more information:

By sending an email to: imasd@amerexingredientes.es
By calling us to: Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14
By filling in the form bellow

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PROUD TO PRESENT THE AMEREX APPLICATIONS MAP – Get to know our natural products

3 November, 2020/by Nuria Lázaro

Hello everyone in this new Blog post! With the aim of bringing you closer to Amerex’s products, we want to share with you a short and very schematic conceptual map that summarizes what has been building throughout its 40-year history thanks to its natural products.

As a first reference and taking into account the applicability of our preservatives, we consider as target foods those that are commercially threatened, due to their short shelf-life and their need to be stored refrigerated.

Amerex’s concept of a preservative includes a wide range of natural products that enhance the food safety (from a microbiological perspective) and the shelf-life (referring to the organoleptic characteristics), also reducing the need to use certain treatments or chemical additives, for example.

Bearing in mind the main characteristics of our target Foods and pointing out that our products do not produce colour, odour or taste; we have been broadening and improving our applications to reach all kinds of foods and food sectors for several years.

All these concepts are reflected in the Amerex Applications Map. Contact us and ask for your copy in the following email.

In addition, we will be happy to attend to your interests, curiosities and needs and to answer any questions you may have. We really hope this document brings you great ideas!

Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

Nuria Lázaro is the R&D and Quality Manager for Amerex’s technical team. She holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. She brings her experience in food preservation and safety, specializing in legislation and the development of new preservatives and antioxidants.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LABELLING THINGS AS THEY ARE

10 February, 2020/by Nuria Lázaro

Welcome again to Amerex’s Blog!

We have already entered February and it seems like a very busy month, on which we keep receiving many updates from the food industry. Some of them are very inspiring to begin a new season of our wonderful Blog. Let’s check it out!

Year 2020 welcomed us with a new law set up by the USA that forbids vegan and vegetarian companies to label ‘meat’, in the full sense of the word, to products that seem like it. This law, which is called The Real MEAT Act (The Real Marketing Edible Artificials Thruthfully Act of 2019), establishes the definitions for ‘beef’ and ‘beef product’ and require the imitation products to contain the word ‘imitation’ immediately before or after the name. These terms are found to ensure that there is no misunderstanding for the consumer, so they know that the food they eat does not contain meat at all.

The Real MEAT law defines "beef" or "beef product" as any food containing edible meat tissue from domesticated Bos indicus or Bos taurus cattle

The law defines with the term ‘imitation meat food product’ as any product manufactured to appear as a meat food product or any food product, which approximates the aesthetic qualities (primarily texture, flavour and appearance) and/or chemical characteristics, but does not contain any meat, meat food product, or meat by-product ingredients. In addition, it defines the terms ‘imitation meat food product’ and ‘imitation meat by-product’, so that it leaves no room for doubt for the vegetable product companies.

This law has been brought up as a result of the general discontent regarding this matter for a long time. Not only regarding meat products and its by-products, but also with the so-called vegetable ‘milk’.

According to the trends we have been exploring for the last several years for alternatives to the traditional products, vegetable beverages have increased and become highly important. From the beginning, the preferred term was vegetable ‘milks’: soya milk, almond milk, coconut milk…

This matter brought about a very interesting discussion as in the meat industry, that these beverages cannot nutritionally replace original cow’s milk, nor does their components or its nutritional content. Therefore, one cannot substitute the other under any circumstances.

What does the law state? According to the current legislation (Council Regulation (EC) nº 1234/2007), ‘The term ‘milk’ means exclusively the normal mammary secretion obtained from one or more milkings without either addition thereto or extraction therefrom’. However, this shall not apply ‘to the designation of products the exact nature of which is clear from traditional usage and/or when the designations are clearly used to describe a characteristic quality of the product’. The last statement refers to a list of products that appear in the Commission Decision of 20 December 2010, on which almond milk is found to be the only vegetable beverage that can be labelled under this term.

We have already explained the law statements according to the nomenclature of meat products. Nevertheless, what are the consequences of it? These products do not apply to the same food safety and labelling standards as beef. Even though they are named after it, it is true that the ingredient’s legislation is not under control and therefore any additive may be added in their formulations. In other words, companies take advantage of very good marketing, making it look like meat, and what’s more, rules for additives are completely different. Besides, it is important to mention the analytics and inspections carried out in the meat industry, for example with Listeria or other pathogenic microorganisms, which are very strict. These are not so well defined in this type of products.

Then, what should we do? For now, this is the situation and that means for many companies to search for solutions for enhancing shelf-life and safety, such as the ones we provide at Amerex. Our technology is based on microorganisms that fit any nomenclatures and legislations, for every final product. And why are we so certain? Because we know that manufacturers have healthy foods on the market with consumer-oriented labels and Amerex as their provider of natural safety solutions.

Would you like to know more? Contact us and we will help you with everything you need.

See you soon and we will keep you updated!

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

Nuria Lázaro is the R&D and Quality Manager for Amerex’s technical team. She holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. She brings her experience in food preservation and safety, specializing in legislation and the development of new preservatives and antioxidants.

LISTERIA: A NEW CASE STUDY, IN A DIFFERENT BATTLEFIELD

20 November, 2019/by Nuria Lázaro

Hello everyone and welcome again to our Amerex Blog!

As we have mentioned in our previous Blog posts, Listeria monocytogenes, a common bacteria found in the food industry as well as the disease it causes -listeriosis-, are back in the spotlight. As per the information gathered in the last few months, even though it is related to the meat industry, it poses a threat to many other sectors as well.

Therefore, the objective of this Blog post is to ensure that everyone is conscious of another battlefield when it comes to Listeria: dairy industry. Specifically, and as a case study, we would like to explain a very interesting situation that happened at Amerex. Let’s have a look!

Feta cheese is a Greek origin cheese made mainly from goat milk. It is considered a “ready-to-eat meal” by the AESAN as it doesn’t require any cooking or processing to reduce or eliminate the presence of Listeria monocytogenes to bring it within the acceptable range. This is the main reason behind the prevalence of this type of bacteria in this cheese. Furthermore, according to integrated mathematical models in ComBase, an online tool created by a collaboration between Tasmania University and the USDA-ARS for quantitative food microbiology, feta cheese is classified as a food where the growth of Listeria monocytogenes is possible due to its pH, aW and lactic-acid concentration.

Feta cheese, a food where the growth of Listeria monocytogenes is possible

Nevertheless, numerous research papers published in major scientific journals proved that feta cheese, in particular, prevents the development of this family of bacteria and, in addition, leads to a progressive inactivation of microorganisms. These researches fool the industry into believing that feta cheese meets the necessary food safety requirements of food safety for Listeria monocytogenes for its entire shelf-life, however, it is important to bear in mind the significance of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), such as: contamination level of raw materials, specific processing conditions, etc… All of these are included in the barriers we discussed in the previous post from our Blog.

In fact, these HACCP guidelines contradict the information in the aforementioned scientific journals. The moment any raw material, mainly pasteurized milk, is contaminated during fermentation, it provides ideal conditions for the proliferation of the infectious agent within the first two days. Considering this growth, under certain circumstances, some strains of Listeria monocytogenes can survive a standard pasteurization process; this could be a cause of alarm for human health safety.

It should be noted that the low temperature and low pH conditions during storage provide an ideal environment for the stabilization of the bacteria in high concentrations. In addition, even in temperatures starting 1.7 ºC and above, it cannot be guaranteed that the cheese is free of pathogens. In addition, the regulation parameters specify that, in order to prove that Listeria monocytogenes does not grow in a product, it would have to meet one of the following requirements: pH≤4.4, or aW≤0.92, or a combination of both parameters: pH≤5.0 and aW≤0.94.

Since feta cheese has a pH of 4.4-4.6 and aW of 0.94-0.95, it barely fits within these parameters and it is likely to exceed in some batches. Therefore, taking into account the temperature mentioned above, we could be facing potential threats.

Following this explanation and the previous post from our blog, it is key to try to manufacture a 100% safe food item. It is clear that there is no single formula for achieving this level of absolute safety. However, the more barriers between the pathogen and our product, the better.

This is a problem that affects not only meat and dairy industry, but also other sectors of the food industry that are normally considered exempt for this threat.

There is always something to be done for improving safety. We invite you to share your own concerns, whatever industry you belong to, and we will provide personalized assistance to boost your confidence regarding the launch of products.

Here at Amerex we design our preservatives with specialized technology and are constantly developing our know-how, to achieve one of our main objectives: building a set of barriers that are unbreakable for any harmful microorganism.

Once again… Here we are!

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14

Nuria Lázaro is the R&D and Quality Manager for Amerex’s technical team. She holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Biotechnology. She brings her experience in food preservation and safety, specializing in legislation and the development of new preservatives and antioxidants.

FOOD SAFETY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIGHT BACTERIAL THREAT?

28 October, 2019/by Nuria Lázaro

Welcome again to our blog as we say goodbye to summer! In today’s Blog, we will discuss one of the hottest issues in food industry at present-ensuring food safety against Listeria.

At Amerex, we are always on the lookout for important issues that concern major sectors of the food industry. Particularly, in recent months, various health problems caused by Listeria monocytogenes have surged, so let’s look into this in detail to find out more. For example, heat is not a deterrent to the growth of this bacteria, many products that are manufactured using various heat treatments, like fermented sausage (“chorizo”), cooked blood sausage (“morcilla”), roasted meat (“carne mechada”), or any other product strongly treated by heat, might still be affected by the growth of Listeria. There is a common tendency to rely these heat treatments followed by the refrigeration processes to eliminate the presence of these bacteria entirely but, ultimately, these act only as barriers. We believe that each barrier, though beneficial, works as an additional wall to prevent contamination. Therefore, the more barriers, the better the safety.

List of protective barriers: moisture and pH, packaging, chemical additives, atmosphere control. storage, HACCP systems and heat treatment

The need to protect meat products like the ones mentioned before against the harmful effects of Listeria is a serious issue that the food industry deals with currently. In case of the meat, there are two barriers: the heat treatment, which is the former barrier, followed by the refrigerated storage, which acts as the latter. Specifically related to the storage, we would like to cite this article from El Mundo: Listeria: Crece la amenaza de la bacteria que sobrevive en tu nevera (“Listeria: The threat of the bacteria that survives in your fridge grows”). This article describes the occurrence, development and consequences of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in food and the measures to be taken for preventing its appearance and growth. However, heat treatment and refrigeration, combined with control of the product’s initial microbial load and hygiene, are sometimes taken into consideration while at other times, overlooked.

As companies in the meat sector, you may think that by controlling the above-mentioned barriers, you have already controlled the presence of Listeria, but sometimes, things are not that simple. In addition to all possible barriers, out of which heat treatment, refrigeration and hygiene are the most significant to consider when it comes to safety control, there exist further barriers like the preservative solutions provided by Amerex. One of our top sales, Fermitrat® Export, would act as an additional barrier by itself.

Image showing the effect of Fermitrat-Export, one of our preservatives, against Listeria sp. inoculated in foie. You can see how both dosages of Fermitrat control growth better, practically eliminating this bacteria at a dosage of 1.5 g/Kg of the preservative

Image showing the effect of Fermitrat-Export, one of our preservatives, against three strains of Listeria sp. inoculated into sliced turkey. At a dosage of 1.5 g/Kg of Fermitrat, a bacteriostatic effect is produced, preventing the growth of the bacteria which is three logarithmic units lower than the sample without the preservative

Among the barriers, we can find references in the legislation about microbiological criteria, which includes pH and aW criteria. Therefore, once these two parameters are met, there is no further requirement to ensure safety.

Extract from the legislation about microbiological criteria, which establishes that products with less or equal to 4.4 pH levels and less or equal to 0.92 water activity, or products with with less or equal to 5 pH levels and less or equal to 0.94 water activity, cannot support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes

You may think that by abiding to the legislative parameters and maintaining adequate supervision pf certain other parameters, you are free from danger against Listeria. However, if you aim to create higher quality, more desirable products, you could even lower the pH and aW requirements by adding a protector in your manufacturing process.

The choice is in your hands, we are available round the clock to clarify your doubts and uncertainties and to provide you the necessary assistance to meet your requirements.

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Phone number: +34 91 845 42 14