Acerola powder for colour stability in meat

In brief: Advantages of acerola in meat

• Stabilization of the red colour
• Avoidance of rancidity
• Prevention of brown colouration
• Cured meat: Minimized formation of carcinogenic nitrosamine
• 100% natural and clean label

The acerola cherry

Green acerola cherries are considered one of the highest concentrated natural sources of L-ascorbic acid of all. L-ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is widely present in foods as a reducing agent.

In addition to ascorbic acid, the other mineral and phenolic ingredients of acerola have also been attributed functional effects.

Among other things, they are said to increase the effectiveness of ascorbic acid, by which ascorbic acid in its natural matrix ought to exhibit higher activity than synthetic ascorbic acid.

Our product line

Straight after harvesting, while still fresh, acerola cherries are pressed for their juice and spray dried. The fruit powders are available on a maltodextrin, starch, or Gum Arabic basis, or substrate free.

Our products are standardized to 17 % – 40 % ascorbic acid and are also available in organic quality.

Acerola in meat products

In the presence of oxygen, the red myoglobin in red meat oxidizes to form brown metmyoglobin. A common practice is therefore to pack raw meat in a protective gas mixture free of oxygen in order to prevent unwanted discolouration.

In the presence of ascorbic acid, brown discolouration is delayed further still because primarily the ascorbic acid is oxidized. This is how meat can be prevented from turning brown.

In cured meat goods, ascorbic acid has various functions. The nitrite from the curing salt reacts in the presence of water to form nitric acid. Ascorbic acid oxidizes this nitric acid to form nitrogen monoxide, which forms a pink-red complex with myoglobin (nitrosomyoglobin).

Firstly, this reduces the risk of brown metmyoglobin being formed in the presence of oxygen.

Secondly, brown metmyoglobin reacts in turn with nitrogen monoxide to form red nitrosometmyoglobin. Upon heating of cured meats, nitrite and nitric acid can react to form nitrosamine, which is considered as highly carcinogenic.

Because ascorbic acid minimizes the content of nitric acid, the formation of nitrosamine can be largely prevented.

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