Amerex is a biotechnology company with 40 years of history that manufactures clean label solutions based on microbiology to increase shelf life and food safety in different food sectors. In addition, these products are suitable for use in vegans and allergen-free.

Amerex’s participation in the Up4heatlh project seeks to take advantage of the polyphenols extracted from olive and grape flour to create a product that delays oxidation and increases the shelf life of foods with minimal processing.

Over the last few months we have carried out numerous tests to study the effect of different samples of extracts to evaluate their antioxidative capacity in different matrices: hamburgers, cured sausages and juices, with very promising results.

As the meat industry is one of the sectors where we have most expertise, we would like to highlight the good results obtained in a fresh meat matrix such as a hamburger. In the end, within the food sector, colour is one of the factors that determines whether or not the consumer selects certain foods, together with smell or texture. In this type of products, different additives are used, such as sulphites or nitrites, to highlight and enhance the red colour, as this is also what the end consumer demands.

At Amerex we have a pilot plant equipped to carry out different tests for organoleptic and microbiological studies. For the tests on this food matrix, we first carry out different sieving with the samples provided by Isanatur. In these tests we studied the oxidation of the product by analysing the colour using a colorimeter. In this way, we were able to check the good results not only at a visual level, which can always be more subjective depending on the light or the person, but also by means of a quantifiable method.

The best results were obtained from samples of extracts obtained from olives (PBF). It should also be noted that in combination with the vegetable extracts, one of our conservatives was added, as in all products we are looking for not only a good organoleptic but also microbiological safety.

The differences in colour between the control sample and the sample with the Up4Health extract in combination with the Amerex conservative.

These visual differences are also verified with the data collected with the colourimeter (Konica Minolta CR-410 / Illuminant C).

Finally, the results with the Up4Health extracts in combination with the Amerex conservative have proven to be effective in delaying the oxidation of the product. The next steps are therefore focused on the microbiological analysis of the sample to also check the protective action.