Clean Labeling and Natural Food Additives: How to meet consumer demand without compromising functionality, safety, shelf-stability, ethics and regulation

Why Should You Attend:

There is an increasing trend of clean labeling to meet consumer demand for more product information and inclusion of synthetic preservatives in foods. In the meat processing sector, low fat, low sodium and nitrite-free products offer a profitable marketing strategy. In the bakery industry, there is also a move towards substituting traditional preservatives such as sorbate and benzoate with natural preservatives.

This webinar will provide an overview on synthetic preservatives used in product formulations and reasons for inclusion. Natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives will be provided along with advantages and disadvantages. Mention will also be made of the controversial use of transglutaminase (meat glue) and Lean Finally Textured Beef (LFTB’ pink slime) for producing low salt and low fat products respectively. The potential of applying high hydrostatic pressure in production and low dose irradiation of Clean Labeled products will be described. The ethical aspects of labeling requirements for “natural” and changes in regulations related to labeling will be discussed.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• Synthetic preservatives used in foods and reasons for inclusion
• Natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives in meat and bakery products-- advantages and disadvantages
• “Natural” alternatives to salt and nitrites.
• Science and application of transglutaminase and LFTB.
• Physical technologies available to enhance the shelf-life and safety of foods
• Labeling of natural products-- Ethical issues involved
• Ethical issues in the use of carbon monoxide and meat glue within the meat industry
• Regulatory status of labeling in Canada and US (implications for importers and exporters)

Who Will Benefit:

• QA and QC Managers
• Production Managers
• Food Scientists and Technologists
• Food Safety Personnel
• HACCP Coordinators
• Government food inspectors

Azadeh Namvar
Research Associate, University of Guelph

Dr Azadeh Namvar has a BSc, MSc and PhD in food science with the higher degrees being obtained from the University of Guelph. Dr Namvar has been a Research Fellow within the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph where she undertook food safety research on fresh produce, meat and intervention technologies. She has also acted as a consultant with a broad range of companies within the US and Canada.

She has expertise in developing food safety management systems, consultant for food safety and technology and instructed on HACCP related courses.

She has advanced knowledge in the area of emerging pathogens, intervention technologies and development of biosensor devices to detection of foodborne hazards. She has a patent in developing biosensors for detection of spores and biohazards in food.

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