Cultured Dextrose For Natural Shelf Life Extension

What Is Cultured Dextrose?

Cultured dextrose, also known as fermented dextrose or cultured sugar, is a popular food ingredient valued for its natural and clean-label qualities. Cultured dextrose is manufactured through the fermentation of corn sugar (dextrose). It is used to extend the shelf life of many food products, including baked goods, tortillas, dairy, prepared foods and salads, soups and sauces, sausages, pasta, and more.

In the food industry, cultured dextrose is used as a natural preservative and shelf life extender. Cultured dextrose can help maintain freshness and quality by inhibiting mold and rope bacteria over the shelf life of the product.

Cultured dextrose is produced through a natural fermentation process using non-GMO bacteria and substrates. The resulting product contains various organic acids, peptides, and other metabolites of fermentation. These organic acids make cultured dextrose uniquely effective at extending the shelf life of foods while protecting the fresh flavor profile.

Depending on the specific bacteria used in the fermentation of cultured dextrose, different organic acids are produced. These can include acetic acid, propionic acid, or lactic acid. Among these, propionic acid is notable for its exceptionally high ability to inhibit mold growth even at low concentration levels. Propionic acid can lower the pH of the solution, creating an environment that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and mold.

A&B Ingredients offers a range of natural mold inhibitors and shelf life extenders available under our CytoGUARD® portfolio of natural preservation solutions.

CytoGUARD® CDP Ultra is a cultured dextrose product designed to deliver high concentrations of propionic acid. It is a natural alternative to synthetic calcium propionate and can be used to effectively extend the shelf life of various food products, including bread, tortillas, dairy and non-dairy, salad dressings, meats, plant-based meats, and more.

What Are Fermentates?

Fermentates are substances or products resulting from fermentation processes. These can include various compounds such as organic acids, alcohols, gases, and other metabolites produced by microorganisms during fermentation. Fermentates can have diverse applications in industries ranging from food and beverage production to pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

What Is Propionic Acid?

Propionic acid is an organic acid that naturally occurs in several food products, including milk and fermented dairy. It has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects, which help extend the shelf life of food products. While propionic acid has little or no impact on yeast, it effectively controls mold growth. As a result, it has become one of the most valuable preservatives in producing fermented foods, including bakery and fermented dairy products.

Propionic Acid Use in Food

Propionic acid is often used in food products in the form of calcium propionate, i.e., the calcium salt of propionic acid. Calcium propionate is highly effective in preventing the reproduction of microorganisms such as molds and bacteria, thus playing a crucial role in extending the shelf life of food products.

Calcium propionate can be either synthetic or derived from natural sources. Calcium propionate can be produced through chemical synthesis or through natural fermentation processes using calcium salt as a processing aid. When it is produced through natural fermentation, it is considered a more natural option. Cultured dextrose, or cultured sugar, is a natural alternative to synthetic calcium propionate and can be used to extend the shelf life of various food products while meeting the clean label requirements.

Regulations

In 2003, cultured dextrose received its GRAS status from the US Food and Drug Administration for use as "an antimicrobial agent in cheeses, sauces, salad dressings, sausages, soups, deli salads, salsas, pasta, tortillas, muffins, cereal bars, sour cream, yogurt, and hash brown potatoes at a maximum level of 2 percent (w/w) in the finished product".

For decades, the food industry used cultured dextrose as an additive. It is widely considered a safer option compared to benzoates and other synthetic preservatives commonly used for food preservation.

Mold Inhibition In Bread and Bakery

Bread and baked goods are considered staple foods and are popular items in various cuisines worldwide. Due to the high moisture content, bread and other bakery products are susceptible to mold and microbial spoilage, leading to the loss of quality and palatability, which contributes to the product's short shelf life. Therefore, finding effective treatments to prevent spoilage and extend the shelf life of bread and bakery products has been a top priority for the bakery industry. The function of calcium propionate is to inhibit mold growth without interfering with the fermentation process or yeast growth.