Kerry shares meat solutions with peers
The Irish company is a sponsor of the 57th ICoMST Congress of Meat Science and Technology in Ghent, Belgium, this week - an annual forum for academic and industry researchers to exchange new scientific ideas in meat science and technology.
Christophe Gyselinck, R&D manager, functional meat systems and seasonings at Kerry Ingredients & Flavours, said it was an ideal platform to preview its pipeline of R&D initiatives in meat science with meat researchers from all over the globe.
He added: “Over the many years of our involvement in the meat industry we have progressively adopted a research and product development approach based on a much deeper scientific analysis of the properties of ingredients and flavours and this has yielded some fascinating and commercially relevant results for our customers.
“Essentially we are investigating ingredients and their properties to a level where we can now prove other functional benefits over and above their prime flavour or initial functional benefit.”
This, he said, gives the company and its customers “many more relevant options for developing solutions which can add real value”, which Kerry calls Synergistic Formulation Technology (SFT).
E alternatives
SFT as an alternative to E-numbered preservatives to obtain clean label shelf life control, is among the new solutions Kerry is highlighting at the conference.
Gyselinck told FoodNavigator.com: “The Kerry approach re-engineers ingredient systems and seasonings (such as herbs and spices) to create a range of new clean label options for meat processors.”
This would be for chilled packaged and deli-style cooked meats and added value meat products, for example, breakfast sausages, marinated meats and ready-to-cook meat preparations.
Gyselinck said: “Regarding coatings, we are working on the optimisation of meat core formulations to obtain improved coating adhesion, and better appeal for succulent coated products.”
This is aimed at coated meats like schnitzels and nuggets.
Gyselinck added: “We are also working on the development of an allergen free protein emulsifier as an alternative to milk and soy proteins for stabilising animal fats.”
He also said that for clean labels they are looking at the reduction of E-numbered preservatives, reducing allergens and using natural solutions.
Kerry has also developed solutions to reduce salt levels while maintaining the taste, texture and shelf life of cooked meat products and solutions to reduce fat in spreadable pâté whilst maintaining the sensory properties.
This year the conference is themed around the global challenges to production, processing and consumption of meat. Gyselinck said: “Nutrition and health and safety are major topics to focus on, as well as sustainability in relation to production and processing.”
He added that among the issues raised so far are new product development and consumer acceptance of new products.
