Depending on processing requirements, such natural antioxidants can be added to most applications at levels ranging between 0.025% and 0.200%. Augustine notes that a range of ingredients is available “based on the specific processing needs of the food processor. Since food products are subject to oxidation from the outset, it is recommended to incorporate rosemary oleoresins as early as possible into the process to inhibit oxidation. Product forms have been developed that are compatible with aqueous solutions, such as marinades, brines and sauces; concentrated oil soluble forms for meat and poultry, baking and snack, dressings and sauces; dispersibility over large surface areas, such as ground meat and poultry; rapid aqueous dispersion in concentrated brines, such as poultry and pickle brines; dry products for dry processing and blending; and water solubility for stabilizing specific flavors in beverages.”
Unlike their synthetic counterparts, usage levels are not legally restricted. However, historically, use of rosemary extracts have been limited due to their flavor and aroma contribution to the food and beverages. But, Augustine points out a solution, “an innovative line of rosemary extracts that do not significantly contribute flavor or aroma to finished food and beverage product. These products not only provide the opportunity to increase oxidative stability in new flavor-sensitive applications, but to provide increased shelf life in existing applications by increasing the amount of rosemary extract used without imparting additional flavor or aroma.”
Rosemary extract may be labeled as “natural flavor,” “oleoresin rosemary” or “rosemary extract.”
Another company combines green tea and rosemary, in addition to offering rosemary tocopherol combinations, delta-enriched tocopherols and mixed tocopherol formulations. “These products are utilized in a variety of applications to extend the life of meats, seasonings, salad dressings, nuts, breads, bakery mixes and other high-fat matrices,” says Jody Baxter, marketing manager, Kemin Food Ingredients, Des Moines, IA.
The rosemary plus green tea, a rather new product, “was developed to help protect against color and flavor loss in processed meats and other applications,” says Baxter. “In a ground pork study, the rosemary and green tea combination product retained color seven days longer than green tea alone.” She notes that sensory panelists voted products made with this rosemary and green tea combination had the “best meaty flavor” without green tea or herbal notes.
“Our rosemary is a highly-refined, concentrated, homogeneous solution that has no insolubles, no settling, no separation, and is residual-free, giving you a more-consistent product, better dispersion and will not clog application nozzles during the manufacturing process,” says Kristen Robbins, assistant research & development manager, Kemin Food Ingredients. Concentrated and dilute extracts are available with application rates ranging from 0.05% to 0.30%, respectively. “It is important for the extract to be completely dispersed within the food, so that is why we offer various delivery systems in addition to the standard oil-soluble extract, such as water-soluble blends for use in brines or low-fat salad dressings, and dry blends for use in ground meats or cereals,” she says.