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IMPROVE PRESERVATION IN BURGER MEAT WITH SULFITES – BIAMEX SP

11 July, 2024/by Alejandro Rodríguez

Color and microbiological preservation of meat products is a crucial aspect of the food industry, especially when it comes to preparations like burger meat. Over the years, sulfites have been widely used as preservatives due to their effectiveness. However, concerns about their adverse effects have led to the search for safer and more natural alternatives.

In this article, we will explore the differences between hamburgers and burger meat, the use of sulfites in these products, and how our natural preservative, Biamex SP, offers an innovative and healthy solution to extend the shelf life of meat without compromising quality.

What is the difference between hamburger and burger meat?

First, it is essential to identify the difference between Hamburger and Burger meat since they appear similar. The distinction can be quickly identified on the label as the main difference lies in their composition. Furthermore, this affects the organoleptic characteristics and shelf life of both products.

In Spain, Royal Decree 474/2014 regulates these denominations, based on the European Regulation, and provides details on raw materials, thermal treatment, and the physical and chemical characteristics of these meat products.

On the other hand, Regulation 853/2004 of the European Parliament and the Council establishes specific hygiene standards for food of animal origin, differentiating between meat preparations (burger meat) and minced meat.

Hamburger

The hamburger has a specific definition in the quality regulations. It is made with minced meat, salt, spices, condiments, and other food products, always in doses limited by good manufacturing practices. It can include spices such as paprika, oregano, and garlic powder, as well as a percentage of water.

The main difference between hamburger and burger meat is that, according to regulations, hamburgers cannot contain additives or preservatives, although they may have natural condiments and antioxidants. This limits their shelf life to 72 hours and requires storage between 0 and 2 degrees Celsius. Hamburgers are usually packaged in modified atmosphere packaging to ensure proper preservation.

Burger meat

If the label classifies a preparation as burger meat, it means that it contains preservatives, i.e., additives regulated by EFSA with an E number.

This fresh product is made from minced meat and other components, with a minimum of 4% vegetables, cereals, or both.

Burger meat contains additives and preservatives, which generally extend its shelf life to 4 or 5 days. Water is usually the second most used ingredient, and sulfites are the most commonly used preservative in this type of food. It is crucial for allergic individuals to read the label carefully since sulfites must be declared.

Other additives allowed in burger meat include:

E-120: cochineal extract or carminic acid (red color).
E-129: intense red dye, very soluble in water.
E-220: sulfur dioxide (prevents the growth of fungi, bacteria, and yeasts, part of the sulfites).
E-228: potassium bisulfite (preservative, antioxidant, and color stabilizer).
E-150: dark brown color obtained by caramelizing sugars.
E-452: polyphosphates (regulate acidity, act as emulsifiers and stabilizers).
E-338: phosphoric acid (acidulant and acidity regulator).

These additives, strictly regulated by European legislation, aim to improve the preservation of burger meat.

What meats can contain sulfites besides burger meat?

There are other types of meats that can contain sulfites, like Burger meat, especially specific meat preparations from various European countries, such as:

Fresh longaniza
Fresh butifarra
Burger meat with at least 4% vegetables or cereals mixed with the meat
Breakfast sausages

What is the function of sulfites in burger meat?

The chemical additives sulfites are primarily used in meat products to:

Inhibit spoilage microorganisms such as heterofermentative bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms to improve the preservation and safety of meat preparations.
Inhibit chemical reactions, preserving sensory quality and acting as antioxidants preservation red colour.

Sulfites are responsible for the characteristic red color that consumers have become accustomed to, which lasts longer than the natural color of the meat.

Although the use of sulfites does not necessarily imply lower product quality, it allows work under less strict hygienic conditions. They have drawbacks, such as the destruction of vitamin B1 (thiamine) and the possibility of causing allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, although they also preserve vitamin C.

Therefore, finding alternatives to sulfites is one of the goals of food manufacturers in the meat industry and others. Like nitrites, their use is general, yet controversial.

What is the maximum permitted amount of sulfites in burger meat?

The maximum permitted amount of sulfites is 450 mg/kg. This means that in 10 kg of the prepared food, up to 4.5 grams of this additive can be detected.

Sulfites are identified on labels with the numbers E 220-228:

Sulfur dioxide: E-220
Sodium sulfite: E-221
Sodium bisulfite: E-222
Sodium metabisulfite: E-223
Potassium metabisulfite: E-224
Calcium sulfite: E-226
Calcium bisulfite: E-227
Potassium bisulfite: E-228

However, natural preservative solutions can enhance the action of sulfites, allowing for a reduced dosage in the meat preparation, or even replacing them.

Next, we explain the use of our natural preservative Biamex SP, which can complement sulfites’ action to enhance their effect and increase the product’s shelf life or even serve as a substitute for sulfites.de llegar a complementar la acción del sulfito para mejorar su acción y aumentar la vida útil del producto e incluso como sustituto de los sulfitos.

Biamex SP as a natural alternative or complement to the use of sulfites in Burger Meat

At Amerex Ingredients, we offer a natural solution with our preservative Biamex SP, which allows for the substitution or complementation of sulfites in burger meat.

Biamex SP is a ferment that extends the product’s shelf life without the adverse effects associated with sulfites. Additionally, it maintains the sensory quality of the meat, ensuring optimal flavor and freshness. With Biamex SP, we provide a safer and healthier option for preserving meat products, meeting the demands of consumers increasingly conscious of their health and well-being.

Biamex SP can be used as a complement to sulfites, promoting longer shelf life and improved preservation for meat preparations. Moreover, it can serve as a substitute for sulfites, enhancing microbiological preservation and providing a color closer to that of meat without additives.

Do not hesitate to contact us for more information

You can write us an email to: imasd@amerexingredientes.com
Call us on: +34 91 845 42 14
Fill in the form below

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Alejandro Rodríguez

Amerex’s Technical Director, Alejandro Rodríguez, holds a degree in Biology and a master’s degree in biotechnology applied to food preservation. With a solid track record of over 10 years developing natural solutions, he leads projects focused on protective fermentation and innovative technologies to ensure food safety and quality.

FOODS WITH SULPHITES: NATURAL ALTERNATIVES AND HOW THEY AFFECT THE CONSUMER

5 October, 2022/by Patricia Rodrigo

Sulfites are additives that have been used for many years in food preservation, and in some cases are even found naturally in foods.

In this Blog entry we will explain many aspects related to sulfites such as their functions in food as additives, the way they can affect the consumer, the needs of use and labeling according to official regulations and sulfite alternatives. Stay with us and read more about it!

What are sulfites in food?

To answer our first question about what sulfites are, sulfites and their by-products are chemical forms obtained from sulfur that are used as additives for the preservation of many foods. It is easy to recognize them in the labeling of any product since the EU recognizes 8 types of sulfites in food as additives, assigning them an E number (number between E220 and E228) and therefore approving their use.

What is the function of sulfites in foods?

Sulfites are added to foods in order to favor their preservation and maintain their color, achieving in some cases a bacteriostatic effect at high doses and avoiding the negative consequences of microbial growth and the oxidation process.

Typical foods containing sulfites as additives are the following:

Wines, musts, ciders and vinegars to prevent the development of molds, bacteria and yeasts.
Crustaceans so that they do not darken during marketing and cause consumer rejection.
Meat preparations, such as fresh sausages and burger meat, which need to be kept fresh and pink in color.
Dried fruits, sauces, canned vegetables…

Therefore, the ultimate goal of sulfites in foods would be to improve their appearance and prolong their shelf life. At Amerex we have no doubt that the color it gives is unsurpassed thanks to its reducing power, as well as giving certain organoleptic properties. However, precisely because of this, it sometimes gives misleading results in the final product, which may have triggered microbiological contamination even though it has an attractive color.

How are sulfites in food labeled?

Products containing more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/L of sulfites must reflect this concentration on food labels. For example, in meat preparations the limit is 450 mg/kg according to the legislation, a dose capable of giving color but which is far from the doses traditionally used that allowed a more potent antimicrobial effect.

The labeling of sulfites in food consists basically of the name of their chemical formula and a number between E220 and E228:

E220 for sulfur dioxide.
E221 for sodium sulfite.
E222 for sodium acid sulfite.
E223 for sodium metabisulfite (sodium disulfite).
E224 for potassium metabisulfite (potassium disulfite).
E226 for calcium sulfite.
E227 for calcium acid sulfite (calcium bisulfite).
E228 for potassium acid sulfite (potassium bisulfite).

What are the side effects of consuming foods with sulfites?

Perhaps the most important reason for labeling sulfites in foods is that they can cause health problems in people with sensitivities to these substances.

For the most part, sulfite-containing foods do not represent a health risk, nor are they carcinogenic or teratogenic for the population, and the amounts in which sulfites are present in food are below the maximum amounts allowed by law, and are controlled. Therefore, they meet the requirements of any food additive.

However, the metabolization of sulfites in foods can have negative consequences for people sensitive to these substances. There is an enzyme responsible for metabolizing sulfites from food in the human body, sulfite oxidase. It happens that in people with deficient enzymatic activity, this process can cause negative reactions. Therefore, the only way to avoid it is by not consuming those foods that contain a certain sulfite.

People sensitive to sulfites in food develop reactions such as digestive problems, skin reactions, itching, and respiratory disorders such as asthma, coughing, shortness of breath or wheezing.

About 3% of adults and 6% of children have a food intolerance due to the presence of allergens and sulfites in food. There are 14 allergens that European regulations establish that must be compulsorily reported on food labels, including sulfites if they are in amounts greater than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/L, and labeled as sulfite or sulfur dioxide.

Effect of sulfites on product naming

As mentioned above, the law allows the formulation of products to contain sulfites and other ingredients, and depending on these, the products will be denominated in one way or another.

The use of sulfites is not allowed in meat in general, but when Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 appeared, they wanted to maintain the figures of longaniza or burger meat as a refuge to be used in markets that had traditionally done so, such as the English and Spanish markets.

Currently, these names are used in the market for all types of meat preparations that use this legal umbrella, even if they are not exactly sausages or burger meat. In the Spanish market, the color of products such as hamburgers is often associated with the intense red color of sulfite, forgetting the traditional organoleptic characteristics of a hamburger, although consumer habits are beginning to change.

For the sake of clarity, sausages cannot legally contain sulfites and/or colorants, but sausages can contain a regulated amount of sulfites. The same applies to hamburger or burger meat, the former does not contain sulfites and the latter does. This is a naming issue that protects the consumerif the product is labeled as sausage instead of sausageor as a hamburger instead of a hamburger burger meatThe consumer can now distinguish which has and which does not contain sulfites and/or colorants, since at first glance they may appear to be the same product.

What sulfite-free additive alternatives are on food market?

Amerex manufactures allergen and sulfite-free microbiological blends as an alternative to improve the safety and shelf life of a wide range of products such as sausages and burger meat. Biamex y Safemix are our biotech blends that improve the contamination and spoilage performance of these fresh foods over chemical additive options such as sulfite.

The biggest challenge is in maintaining the color, and currently we can reach more than 10 days of shelf life with a color that, although not as red, remains constant in a natural way as the first day the burger is made. To keep this oxidation at bay, we use our plant extracts Amexol and we even have European funding projects of circular economy where agricultural surpluses are used to obtain innovative polyphenols that help us in this task.

Where can I get a natural preservative alternative to sulfite?

At Amerex we can help you achieve a result that exceeds expectations so that you can replace this additive with clean label alternatives.

We are at your disposal to make our products more natural and safer.

You can send us an email to: imasd@amerexingredientes.es
Call us at: +34 91 845 42 14
Fill out the following form

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