The latest addition to the DuPont Danisco Holdbac line of protective cultures, which the company said can extend shelf-life and hold off yeast and mold spoilage without use of synthetic preservatives, is suitable for plant-based, fermented foods and beverages, at a time when customer demand in this space has never been higher.
Eve Martinet-Bareau, global product manager, cultures for plant-based fermented food and beverages, said, “The industry has seen enormous growth for fermented plant-based products in recent years, driven by higher numbers of flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan consumers around the world.
“These shifts in diets are driven by a number of factors, including a search for improved health that comes with a plant-based diet, ethical choices toward foods with lower environmental impact and which are deemed better for animal welfare, and switching to dairy alternatives for lactose-intolerant consumers.”
She said DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has been working with customers for decades as consumer demands for plant-based options have increased.
“We are constantly looking for ways to innovate in this space. For example, in May 2018, we launched a new cultures line – Danisco Vege Cultures – especially designed for fermented plant-based products, helping customers attain desired taste and texture profiles in a wide variety of plant-based dairy alternatives and beverages.”
However, with that demand came certain challenges for producers of fermented goods, including the need to: gain market share in the fast-growing plant-based food sector; consistently ensure high-quality products with the desired taste and texture, particularly across regions with differing consumer preferences; secure that quality throughout a product’s shelf-life; address the fast-growing demand for friendly labeled consumer products; make a substantial contribution to the sustainability of the food and beverage sector; and provide consumers with products that improve their health and wellbeing.
The new ingredient also allows customers to make a difference in terms of environmental and social impact through reduced food waste and plant-based alternatives.
DuPont said if just 5% of the global yogurt market is replaced with plant-based alternatives made with Danisco Vege and Holdbac YM Vege cultures, which also provide an extra 10 days of shelf life, the carbon dioxide emission saving would theoretically be as high as 3m tons CO2 annually. This would be roughly equivalent to 1.7m EU-based cars off the roads.
Mikkel Thrane, global sustainability lead for DuPont nutrition & biosciences, said, “We look at our environmental footprint through the lens of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and we are proud to say that this culture supports at least three – SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Holdbac YM Vege is helping us facilitate the transition to a healthier and more environmental-friendly diet.”