F O O D I N N OVAT I O N S
BRING YOUR PRESERVATION
STRATEGY TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Consumers increasingly expect
products with a long shelf life,
good quality and ‘natural
ingredients’. Food producing
companies aim at delivering these
high-quality products, but fulfilling
these requirements is no easy
task. TNO can provide help in
prolonging shelf life, without
losing the characteristics of a
product.
The shelf life of a product depends on
its composition, the quality of the raw
materials, the production process,
the packaging and the storage
conditions. Micro-organisms (such as
bacteria and fungi) play an important
role in decay of food. It is therefore
essential to know which micro-organisms are able to grow on a product.
The product formulation determines
whether and which bacteria can grow
on it. The main factors here are
acidity, preservation agents used and
the water activity of the product.
CLEAN LABEL ANTIMICROBIALS:
HOW TO FIND THEM?
Current preservative ingredients can be
substituted by “clean label” alternative
compounds from natural sources. It is well
known that many herbs and spices have
antimicrobial activity. TNO is applying and
expanding this knowledge to food spoilage
organisms. The challenge is not only to
determine which herbs and spices have
antimicrobial properties, but also to look
at how they perform in food systems.
The objective is to study the interactions
between ingredients and to find synergistic effects that will provide significant
inhibitory effects, while having little
impact on a food’s sensory quality.
F O O D I N N OVAT I O N S
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TNO offers screening technologies to
study the antimicrobial effects of
compounds against any spoilage
organism of interest. Using a step-wise
approach this technology can be applied
to identify synergistic effects between
two or more ingredients. TNO has
conducted screening studies that have
looked at not only the antimicrobial
properties of a wide range of herbs and
spices but also the variables that are
essential to their functionality in food
systems, such as the effects of pH and
concentration. Various synergistic effects
have been identified and will be evaluated
in food systems.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS TOOL
This tool is a DNA based analysis
developed by TNO. It provides producers
rapid insight into the shelf-life of a
product. The method determines how
product-relevant micro-organisms react
to changes in their environment.
The two most commonly used parameters
for changing the food environment are
temperature and acidity. For example,
a change in temperature can make it
possible for certain bacteria to grow,
thereby spoiling the product.
GENERAL STEP-WISE APPROACH
Compared to the conventional microbiology, microbial genomics provides detailed
information more quickly. More microorganisms can be detected, also the ones
that do not grow on media. Microbial
genomics is suitable for research on
various products. TNO has considerable
knowledge, experience and facilities in the
development of new and evaluation of
existing preservation strategies.
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Thus, unlike culture based microbiology,
microbial genomics is independent of
growth on selective or enrichment media.
Instead it ‘reads’ all the genes of the
micro-organisms which are present by
measuring the activity of these genes.
The genes that show a change in activity
in response to a change in the environment are selected as marker genes.
These changes in activity may indicate
the ability to grow in the new environment.
From this information it is derived whether
the specific micro-organism is capable
of growth after a certain change in
temperature or acidity. A DNA test,
based on these gene markers, can be
used to study the microbial stability of
the product. Since this test also signals
sub-inhibitory effects it is a much more
sensitive tool for identifying ingredients
or processes that can prevent microorganisms from growing after an environment change. Based on this information,
tailor-made preservation strategies are
developed obtaining the best product
quality and stability and therefore a better
shelf-life.
SPOILAGE: PREVENTION IS BETTER
THAN CURE
We are now making important new
progress in the use of mass sequencing
to improve hygiene and safety even
further. Knowing that an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure,
we are working on new sequencing
techniques with the aim to prevent
contaminations from developing in the
first place. This will be felt throughout the
value chain in any fresh food processing
company, right from the very start: if a
problem is nipped in the bud, no special
pH
Measure response by reading transcripts
on microarray
Bacterial
response
antimicrobials
The bacterial cell as a biosensor
nutrients
Microarray
Microarray readout
action will be needed to remedy it during
later production stages. In this way, better
guarantees can be given for food safety
and hygiene, and lower demands will have
to be made on raw materials and other
resources such as water and energy. In
addition, the use of detergents and
in-place cleaning procedures can be
minimised. What follows are improved
production processes and significant cost
reductions – not only in terms of money
saved but also in terms of improved
product quality.
BENEFITS
Microbial Genomics Tools are highly
useful for closely monitoring microbial
responses, even when effects on
growth are not (yet) observed.
Multiple stresses are measurable.
Specific transcriptional responses
can be translated into quantitative
PCR analysis for the (high-throughput)
analysis of such biomarkers.
This approach will allow for the
rational design of improved food
preservation.
Mild preservation, clean label and
reformulation goals can be achieved
based on this approach.
TNO.NL
TNO
TNO initiates technological and
societal innovation for healthy living
and a dynamic society.
TNO
Utrechtseweg 48
P.O. Box 360
3700 AJ Zeist
The Netherlands
Mr. Joost Blankestijn
P +31 (0)8886 61693
E [email protected]
North America
Mr. Mark Posno
P +1 617 916 52 38
E [email protected]