Consumer expectations around "clean label" keep rising: people don't want to see chemical preservatives they don't recognize or can't pronounce on an ingredient list. But food safety is a priority that can never be compromised. One approach that reconciles these two demands is biopreservation.
What is biopreservation?
Biopreservation is the practice of controlling spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in food using natural microorganisms — or the compounds they produce — rather than synthetic additives. In fermented meat products, this role is largely carried out by bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria.
Bacteriocins are naturally occurring, protein-based compounds produced by certain bacteria that suppress the growth of other, typically closely related, bacteria. During fermentation, the lactic acid bacteria in a starter culture both acidify the environment and produce bacteriocins, forming a second line of defense against unwanted microorganisms.
Why does it matter?
In the conventional approach, food safety is largely secured with chemical preservatives — nitrite and nitrate derivatives, or synthetic antimicrobials, for example. These are effective, but:
- Consumer concern around them is rising, along with the risk of falling out of demand
- Usage limits are tightening under several regulatory frameworks
- They sit awkwardly alongside the "clean label" marketing trend
Biopreservation achieved through bacteriocin-producing strains aims to maintain, or even raise, the safety bar while keeping the product firmly in the "fermented" and "natural" category.
Biopreservation in the BAKTOGARD® approach
Bacteriocin production capacity is one of the criteria we evaluate when selecting our starter culture strains. Among the regional strains we identify through metagenomic analysis, we prioritize combinations that both contribute characteristic aroma and support pathogen inhibition.
That's a different logic from a single-function "additive." The starter culture simultaneously drives fermentation and builds a natural protective layer into the product.
A widening range of applications
Biopreservation isn't limited to sucuk and pastırma. Similar principles apply to quality control and shelf-life stability in other traditional fermented products, such as şalgam juice and pickles. Given the food industry's broader shift toward "fewer additives, more natural process," we expect biopreservation to remain one of the central themes of fermented-food R&D in the years ahead.
Science-based biopreservation strategies built on regional strains may well be the common ground between earning consumer trust and raising food safety standards.