Chiber™ outstrips leading preservatives in dairy case study
Chinova Bioworks has revealed the results of a new case study indicating an industry-leading performance for its clean label preservative, Chiber™, in yogurt and cream cheese.
Chiber™ is naturally derived from white button mushroom fiber, creating a broad-spectrum antimicrobial ingredient that fights spoilage caused by bacteria, yeast and mold. While being cost-effective, allergen and gluten-free, it also has a neutral sensorial profile, which means no taste, color or smell.
Chinova Bioworks has developed Chiber™ to provide enhanced quality and shelf life for a range of categories, including sauces and dips, plant-based dairy and meat, beverages and baked goods.
Chiber™ is tailored to the needs of dairy formulators
But Chiber™ is especially effective for many types of dairy products, helping to improve quality and freshness, and to prove its effectiveness the company teamed up with food and beverage development firm, Mattson.
“We work with food and beverage companies who are looking for the finest ingredients, and replacing synthetic preservatives is always at the top of their list,” said Jaime Reeves, PhD, Executive Vice President for Product Development at Mattson.
Consumer demand is shaping this next generation of food and beverage products, underlined by consumer market data showing that 83% of consumers like to see a “100% natural” label [1], while 78% say they are willing to pay more for clean label products [2].
The Application Case Study focused on antimicrobial and sensorial properties
“To determine the efficacy of Chiber™ in yogurt and cream cheese, we teamed up with the Dairy Science Department at Cal Poly to compare its performance against conventional preservatives,” said Reeves.
The Application Case Study aimed to determine the functionality and effectiveness of Chiber™ against in-market antimicrobials for cream cheese and strawberry-flavored yogurt made from commercially available ingredients by the Cal Poly team.
Shelf-life studies were conducted by a 3rd party lab, while challenge studies were conducted at Chinova Bioworks' lab and sensorial evaluations were carried out by Mattson.
Chiber™ beats other dairy shelf-life extenders
The cream cheese formulation containing Chiber™ was tested for microbial presence and sensory attributes against a control, together with potassium sorbate, natamycin and MicroGard 100 (cultured milk powder) alternatives. The results found that as a preservative, Chiber™ outperformed MicroGard 100, while its efficacy was on par with potassium sorbate and natamycin.
*Sensory evaluation was conducted as a difference from control test. Control samples were held frozen, whereas the test samples were held under refrigeration.
The yogurt formulation containing Chiber™ was tested against potassium sorbate and MicroGard 100, again showing that Chiber™ either equaled or outperformed the other preservatives.
Meanwhile, the sensory attributes of Chiber™ exceeded all the other preservatives in both the cream cheese and yogurt tests. While the other preservatives either caused the products to lose flavor, or added acidic or sour notes, the testing team found that Chiber™ had a minimal impact on the flavor of both products.
What the case study means to the food industry and consumers
“I think the biggest takeaway is the ease of use and versatility demonstrated by Chiber™ in both the cream cheese and yogurt applications. We were all really surprised that it performed as well as potassium sorbate, which is a real work horse in the industry, while it also outperformed MicroGard 100,” said Reeves. “The fact that Chiber™ is a natural antimicrobial ingredient that works well and doesn’t change the sensorial profile is huge, because it is right on target with what every consumer wants.”
Erin Janssen, who is a Regional Sales Manager at Chinova Bioworks, and provides specialist support to the dairy category, has been equally encouraged by the comparative performance of Chiber™:
“The results of this Application Case Study are extremely encouraging for us at Chinova Bioworks as it demonstrates how Chiber™ can serve as an important tool for the natural dairy industry. Given this, our first success is likely to be cream cheese and yogurt, because we have the data for Chiber™ to substantiate it. Looking to the future, we now have the credentials to expand the scope of Chiber™ within the dairy industry. Indeed, from conversations I have had with industry experts, there is significant potential for us to explore a number of other dairy industry segments.”
Sources:
[1] FMCG Gurus USA Clean Labels Survey 2021
[2] Ingredion ATLAS 2023