Another option, mixed tocopherols, “increase a food’s shelf life and fulfill consumers’ expectations for all-natural additives and labeling,” says Carrie Potaczek, global product manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, Cincinnati. The line of antioxidants is “isolated from vegetable oils and concentrated to contain naturally occurring d-alpha, d-beta, d-gamma and d-delta tocopherols, commonly known as mixed tocopherols. Mixed tocopherols are forms of natural vitamin E, and our products deliver these forms in their naturally occurring ratios.” Food products are typically labeled “mixed tocopherols (natural vitamin E) added to preserve freshness” or “natural vitamin E added to protect flavor.” These natural antioxidants add nutritional value if there is a source of vitamin E already in the food.
Applications for mixed tocopherols include fats, oils, meat, poultry, bread, cereal, baked goods, fish, fish oil, seafood, nuts, dairy and candy. “Mixed tocopherols can often be added in dosage levels similar or less than synthetic antioxidants BHT and/or BHA,” Potaczek advises. These natural antioxidants are effective at very low concentrations and do not impart a flavor, color or odor to the finished food product. They also have “superior carry-through in frying, baking, extruding and other processing. They are resistant to high temperatures and provide excellent stability in finished goods. Their low volatility and increased solubility, compared to synthetic antioxidants, provide optimum protection from oxidation during processing,” she says.
Plum-based ingredients can also add antioxidant protection. Using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method, dried plums contain 8,870 antioxidants per 100 grams. “The two primary antioxidants in dried plums are chlorogenic acid, and neochlorogenic acid,” says Jim Degen, consultant, California Dried Plum Board, Sacramento. “Those two help to preserve not only the shelf life of foods, but also suppress the growth of both natural flora, as well as a number of nasty bacteria, such as E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella.”
Maintaining moisture
For products like baked goods and meats, few characteristics say out of date as clearly as dryness. Fruit-derived additives can offer a natural solution. “Enhanced citrus fiber has superior water-holding and water-retention capabilities through cooking or baking,” says Nick Kovalenko, director of marketing and sales, Fiberstar, Inc., Wilmar, MN. “Such enhanced citrus fiber can increase freshness and softness of the product, and provide cleaner taste and label declaration by replacing more-expensive hydrocolloids and other ingredients,” such as phosphates, carrageenan, stabilizers, thickeners and emulsifiers. Another benefit is increased yields and product margins by reduced water and/or oil loss during baking. Increased yields are also gained because the enhanced citrus fiber supports the addition of extra water to the formula while maintaining the same water-activity level.