Corbion will increase its capacity for producing lactic acid in North America by around 40 percent in response to the growing demand for natural food preservation solutions. 

“Given the growth our customers in North America are experiencing, and the increased demand for our products, we believe this expansion is the right thing to do for our customers and for Corbion,” says Marco Bootz, president-lactic acid & specialties at Corbion. 

Corbion also operates lactic acid production facilities in the Netherlands, Brazil, Spain and Thailand.

This expansion ties into Corbion’s five-year business strategy that sharpens the supplier’s focus on food preservation and production strategies, as well as health and environmental sustainability. 

Early last year, the company announced plans to build a new lactic acid plant at its existing site in Rayong Province and Thailand. 

Steady upward trend in lactic acid demand
The use of lactic acid and its derivatives as ingredients in foods and beverages for label-friendly preservation has increased steadily in the Americas over the past five years, Corbion highlights.

Lactic acid bacteria was previously spotlighted in scientific research for its ability to inhibit Listeria monocytogene growth in packed salmon.

“Taking the long view is an essential part of the sustainability principles our business is built on and customers are recognizing that,” Bootz comments. 

The company will employ technology designed to boost efficiency while avoiding an increase in emissions. The move will essentially demonstrate that production growth can be decoupled from CO2 output, it forecasts.

Nature’s preservation solutions 
New advancements in technological and ingredient solutions within the food safety pipeline remain at the top of mind for formulators and manufacturers.

In this space, 3M Food Safety has recently unveiled the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced to save lab testing time and increase productivity. The automation technology for food safety professionals can rapidly and accurately visualize, count and document microbiological colonies on 3M Petrifilm Plates indicator tests.

Last November, researchers at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore developed an “e-nose,” which uses AI to indicate the freshness of meat in real-time. 

Among ingredient launches, Niacet’s fermented vinegar-based Provian Plus offers natural shelf-life-extending properties. In addition, it contains added calcium, which interacts with hydrocolloids and proteins in plant-based substitutes to provide a textural firmness.

Meanwhile, Kemin Industries’ liquid-based antimicrobial food safety ingredient BactoCEASE is designed to protect ready-to-eat meat and poultry products from Listeria monocytogenes without sacrificing flavor benchmarks.