Development of marine microbe derived ingredients as natural preservatives for use in Food & Beverages

This feasibility study will investigate the potential of marine micro-organisms as a source of natural preservatives. The project will involve collaborative R&D between Aquapharm Ltd and Leatherhead Food Research Ltd. The research will combine Aquapharm’s skills in the identification of novel compounds with Leatherhead’s skills in screening for food preservation activity against a range of food spoilage microbes. Compounds identified by this approach will be subject to toxicological screening and regulatory assessment of their applicability in the market place. It is anticipated that the feasibility study will identify natural food preservatives with potential use in salt reduction programmes and “clean labels” . This will be of significant economic and health benefit to food manufacturers and consumers.