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DuPont introduces line of protective cultures

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has announced a new ingredient – HOLDBAC YM VEGE – as the latest addition to the DuPont Danisco HOLDBAC line of protective cultures, which the company says are known for their ability to extend shelf-life and secure the quality of products by holding off yeast and mould spoilage – all without use of synthetic preservatives.

Now, DuPont says HOLDBAC YM VEGE brings this effective and label-friendly spoilage prevention to plant-based, fermented foods and beverages, at a time when customer demand in this space has never been higher.

“The industry has seen enormous growth for fermented plant-based products in recent years, driven by higher numbers of flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan consumers around the world. These shifts in diets are driven by a number of factors, including a search for improved health that comes with a plant-based diet, ethical choices toward foods with lower environmental impact and which are deemed better for animal welfare, and switching to dairy alternatives for lactose-intolerant consumers,” said Eve Martinet-Bareau, Global Product Manager, Cultures for plant-based fermented food and beverages.

“DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has been working with customers for decades as consumer demands for plant-based options have increased, and we are constantly looking for ways to innovate in this space,” she added. “For example, in May 2018, we launched a new cultures line – Danisco VEGE Cultures – especially designed for fermented plant-based products, helping customers attain desired taste and texture profiles in a wide variety of plant-based dairy alternatives and beverages.”

According to the company, the ingredient also offers customers the ability to make a significant difference in terms of environmental and social impact through reduced food waste and plant-based alternatives. The potential impact, it says, is massive: DuPont has estimated that if just 5% of the global yogurt market is replaced with plant-based alternatives made with Danisco VEGE and HOLDBAC YM VEGE cultures, the carbon dioxide emission saving would theoretically be as high as 3,000,000 tons CO2 annually. This would be roughly equivalent to 1,700,000 EU-based cars off the roads.

“We are thrilled to add HOLDBAC YM VEGE to our range of plant-based and sustainable offerings,” said Mikkel Thrane, Global Sustainability Lead for DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences. “We look at our environmental footprint through the lens of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and we are proud to say that this culture supports at least three – SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). HOLDBAC YM VEGE is helping us facilitate the transition to a healthier and more environmental-friendly diet.”