Embodiments of the present invention relate to the acidification and preservation of food products. More particularly, but not exclusively, embodiments of the present invention relate to acidification of food products by adding acids and antimicrobial agents to food products under particular conditions.
In one embodiment, a process for acidifying and preserving a food product is disclosed. In one embodiment, the process can comprise providing a food product having an initial pH; acidifying the food product to a final pH to produce an acidified food product; treating the acidified food product with a preservative composition that can comprise a moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound; wherein the acidifying and treating produce an acidified and preserved food product. In one embodiment, the preservative composition can comprise white mustard essential oil that can comprise 4-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate. In one embodiment, the preservative composition can further comprise a hygroscopic carrier. In one embodiment, the preservative composition can be substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof.
In another embodiment, the acidifying can comprise adding a first acid to the food product so as to adjust the initial pH of the food product to an intermediate pH of the food product; adding a second acid to the food product so as to adjust the intermediate pH of the food product to a final pH of the food product; wherein an acidified food product having the final pH is produced. In one embodiment, the first acid can comprise gluconic acid and the second acid can comprise an acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, tartaric acid, adipic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, glycine, and mixtures and combinations thereof.
In another embodiment, a process for acidifying and preserving a food product is disclosed. In one embodiment, the process can comprise providing a food product having an initial pH; acidifying the food product to a final pH to produce an acidified food product, wherein acidifying can comprise adding a first acid to the food product so as to adjust the initial pH of the food product to an intermediate pH of the food product; adding a second acid to the food product so as to adjust the intermediate pH of the food product to a final pH of the food product; treating the acidified food product with a preservative composition, wherein the preservative composition can comprise 4-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate and a hygroscopic carrier that can comprise maltodextrin; wherein the acidifying and treating produce an acidified and preserved food product.
In another embodiment, an acidified and preserved food product can be prepared. In one embodiment, the food product can be prepared by a process that can comprise providing a food product having an initial pH; acidifying the food product to a final pH to produce an acidified food product; treating the acidified food product with a preservative composition that can comprise a moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound; wherein the acidifying and treating produce an acidified and preserved food product.