Dive Brief:
- Ingredients giant DSM-Firmenich announced on Tuesday the launch of Delvo Fresh Pioneer, a line of starter cultures for mild yogurt products. The ingredient suite allows yogurt to maintain a stable pH balance for up to 60 days in cold storage, according to the company.
- The cultures will help yogurt producers meet quality production standards and extend the shelf life of products, while preventing them from becoming more acidic. The line, the company said, is ideal for creamy, smooth yogurt products — particularly ones with reduced sugar.
- Through leveraging their biotech expertise, ingredients giants are finding ways to keep fermented foods fresher for longer, lowering the risk of spoilage and food waste.
Dive Insight:
By honing in on the consistency of yogurt, DSM-Firmenich is aiming to make creamier, milder forms of the dairy product to maintain its quality on grocery shelves.
Yogurt, as a fermented food, typically maintains a pH level between 4.4 and 4.8 and becomes more acidic over time. Another leading dairy product, cow’s milk, is less acidic at a pH of 6.7 to 6.9. Keeping an intact pH balance is crucial to yogurt maintaining its consistency and not getting too sour. DSM-Firmenich said its yogurt cultures aim to prolong the time it can stay refrigerated.
The ingredients giant is aiming for a greater foothold in the yogurt space, which is projected to be worth $237 billion by 2028, according to Statista data. The products provide greater flexibility in the yogurt production process, Karoline Kjaerulff, the company’s global business development manager for milk and plant-based products, said in a statement.
“We’re investing heavily in culture development as we know the possibilities are near limitless, and more taste, texture and health benefits are out there to discover,” Kjaerulff said. “These new cultures complement our fermented dairy toolkit of starter, bioprotective and probiotic cultures, enzymes, hydrocolloids and nutritional solutions.”
Maintaining the consistency of yogurt and lowering the risk of unwanted tastes and textures is a crucial part of its production. Typically, leaving yogurt to ferment longer results in a more tart taste, while less fermentation results in a milder taste. On its website, DSM-Firmenich claimed the Delvo Fresh Pioneer cultures can help yogurt maintain a normal pH balance not just in cold temperatures but also in heat.
Since the closure of its merger earlier this year, Dutch and Swiss DSM-Firmenich has aimed to advance its standing in the ingredients space through R&D, focusing on products that could advance sustainability, health and well-being. Ahead of the two companies merging in 2022, analysts told Reuters the two companies could reach an annual revenue of $12.3 billion, which would put its sales on par with other ingredients giants like IFF.
