The high fat content of milk powder and other milk products, such as condensed milk, ice creamers, and milk-based confectionery fillings makes them notoriously sensitive to oxidation.
The problem is currently tackled using processing and packaging methods. UHT – ultra high temperature processing – which involves blasting the food for 1 or 2 seconds at around 2ºC to partially sterilise it is commonly used to extend the shelf-life of fresh milk.
However Vitiva has spied a gap in the market for natural additives to be added to fresh milk that can also withstand the rigours of processing. It says that tocopherols, which have also been proposed as a natural additive, are problematic because they are not heat-stable enough. Synthetic preservatives have negative associations due to their petroleum origins.
Its new version of SyneRox4 is intended for addition to fresh liquid milk before it is transformed into milk powder to protect it during the process. It then remains in the products for longer anti-rancidity protection.
The company says the addition of the ingredient does not result in any change to the taste or smell of the milk product.
With its partner PL Thomas, Vitiva will be demonstrating the use of its new ingredient at the IFT trade show in Chicago, USA, which opens its doors on Sunday.
Technical sales director Dushka Dimitrijevic said: “Vitiva specializes in providing a spectrum of natural rancidity management systems, and SyneROX4 allows us to offer a wider line of natural solutions to dairy producers and to the dairy food market.”
She revealed that there are plans to introduce other solutions for dairy applications in the coming months.
The company has previously proposed SyneRox4 as a solution to protect meat products, including pate, from turning rancid.