Increasing consumer awareness of sustainability and demand for cleaner ingredients is pushing the boundaries of shelf life extension technologies. Leading companies in the F&B industry are looking toward fermentation, clean label strategies, and data analytics to help manufacturers reduce costs while attaining freshness and transparency across food and drink categories.

Food Ingredients First speaks with Corbion, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), and dsm-firmenich to understand what’s shaping the present and future of shelf life solutions in fast-growing categories like plant-based, dairy alternatives, and functional foods.

“Shoppers are reading labels more carefully, seeking products that not only taste great and last longer but also contain fewer, more recognizable ingredients,” says Cristiane Marangoni, senior manager of application at Corbion.

Controlling oxidation for more appeal

The demand for fewer ingredients is spurring many shelf life-extending solutions, from tapping natural solutions to harnessing bio-based ingredients and advanced analytics.

“In response, we’ve expanded our focus on nature-based preservation solutions that help extend shelf life without compromising the clean label appeal,” says Marangoni.

Corbion’s natural antioxidants are derived from renewable sources and developed with minimal processing. They control oxidation in traditionally challenging categories like meat, affecting everything from flavor and aroma to color and consumer appeal.

“They help slow the oxidative processes that cause discoloration, rancidity, and off-flavors, keeping products fresher for longer. Because they’re sourced from plants and meet clean label criteria, they offer a powerful alternative to synthetic antioxidants, especially for producers aiming to appeal to health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers,” Marangoni continues.

For example, Corbion’s Origin range uses natural plants as a source of antioxidants “to postpone lipidic oxidation process resulting in longer color stability and freshness, especially in the meat products segment.”

The range does this more intensely in processed products such as hamburgers, which contain high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Antioxidants also help protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals, which Marangoni explains are unstable molecules originating from oxidation during the body’s normal metabolic processes.

Bioscience bolsters shelf life

IFF is leveraging its bioscience expertise to address some of the “toughest” shelf life challenges across F&B categories, from dairy and baking to brewing and beyond.

“Our approach to product innovation leverages the power of fermentation and protective cultures, backed by over 25 years of research and development. Our fermentation-derived, naturally occurring antimicrobials have a legacy of over 60 years in helping the F&B industry control spoilage and extend shelf life,” says Elise Proust, global product category marketing manager, Fresh Dairy, Food Biosciences at IFF.

“By relying on simple ingredients and processes, we ensure that our solutions align with consumer preferences for label-friendly solutions and transparency.”

Proust cites IFF’s Natamax as an example, a naturally occurring antifungal derived from fermentation that can offer a cost-effective alternative to synthetic preservatives like sorbates and benzoates. 

“These solutions delay yeast and mold spoilage, while due to their exceptional heat stability, they can be seamlessly incorporated into other ingredients before pasteurization. Natamax applies to fresh fermented products as it does not inhibit starter cultures.”

Bioprotection is also a key area of innovation at dsm-firmenich. Tom Eckhardt, Ph.D., product application expert, Bioprotection, Fermented Milks & Alternatives at the company, defines it as “a natural preservation method using beneficial bacteria that help prevent the growth of yeasts and molds.”

He notes that dsm-firmenich has combined bio-based ingredients and dairy cultures with “advanced automatic high-throughput measurements and sophisticated machine learning” to identify optimal bacterial strain combinations.

This approach has resulted in the Delvo One culture range, an “all-in-one” dairy solution designed to consistently deliver superior taste, texture, shelf life, and health benefits.

“Bioprotective cultures are safe, consumer-friendly, and highly effective, extending the shelf life of fermented milk products by several days,” says Eckhardt.

Cracking down on food waste

While clean labels help drive purchase decisions, consumers increasingly want to make a bigger environmental impact with their food choices. With food loss and waste accounting for 8–10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, natural preservation technologies can be considered key tools for manufacturers and consumers.

“Our shelf life solutions are designed to postpone the oxidation process at retail and at home by slowing lipidic and color oxidation and extending freshness. This not only supports consumers in minimizing waste but also helps producers optimize supply chain efficiency, reduce returns, and ultimately protect margins in a challenging economic climate,” explains Corbion’s Marangoni.

Consumer preferences evolve, but the expectation that their dairy products taste fresh, mild, and delicious from the moment they reach grocery store shelves to the “best before” date and beyond is constant, according to Proust from IFF.

“One of our key innovations, Holdbac, is a cutting-edge label-friendly bioprotective culture for extended freshness in fresh dairy and dairy alternatives,” she notes, adding that Holdbac Ym-Sustain delivers “long-lasting deliciousness combined with very low impacts on sensory qualities for producers looking to prioritize taste above all else.”

Similarly, according to Eckhardt, the dsm-firmenich’s Delvo One culture range is designed to tackle food waste by maintaining stability throughout the product’s life and enabling the industry’s sustainability ambitions.

“Delvo One cultures feature built-in bioprotection that naturally inhibits the growth of yeast and mold, helping to reduce spoilage and significantly extend product freshness,” he explains.

Strengthening supply chains

Geopolitical tensions, climate change, and inflationary pressures have resulted in global supply chain vulnerabilities. As a result, preserving product quality over time is more critical than ever.

Corbion addresses these challenges by tailoring preservation strategies for perishable products that enable products to withstand longer transit times. “We work closely with our customers to understand their distribution challenges and tailor preservation strategies accordingly,” says Marangoni.

“Combined with predictive shelf life modeling and technical support, Corbion enables producers to maintain product integrity from factory to shelf — even in unpredictable conditions.”

According to Proust, IFF’s Yo-Mix Prime cultures contribute to supply chain resilience by offering “incomparable pH control, delivering products with premium, constant, and consistent quality throughout shelf life.”

“The availability of cultures in frozen and freeze-dried formats also provides more flexibility to address supply chain challenges. This dual-format availability allows manufacturers to choose the format that best suits their logistical and storage needs, ensuring consistent product quality and stability throughout the distribution cycle.”

Meanwhile, dsm-firmenich’s Delvo Fresh Pioneer starter culture range explicitly addresses shelf stability issues by maintaining stable pH and acidity levels throughout a yogurt’s shelf life.

“This prevents products from developing excessive sourness — even under suboptimal storage or transportation conditions without refrigeration,” explains Eckhardt.

In a similar context, IFF’s Microgard 100 has emerged as a “valuable solution” for extending the shelf life of various dairy products.

“For example, it helped one of our partners increase the shelf life of cottage cheese by five days. This allowed them to reduce daily truck deliveries, cutting transportation frequency and associated fuel costs while lowering CO2 emissions to support their broader sustainability goals,” notes Proust.

Sustainability to drive innovation

Industry experts expect the future of shelf life innovation to center around bio-based technologies and enhanced consumer transparency.

“We expect continued advances in multi-functional ingredients — those that deliver shelf life, flavor enhancement, and clean label appeal in a single solution,” says Marangoni. She also highlights the role of predictive modeling in fine-tuning shelf life strategies.

Emphasizing the importance of consumer experience, Proust notes that the growing appetite for exotic foods from distant markets will fuel shelf life innovation. Longer shelf life will also allow buyers to consume packaged products safely, helping to alleviate the financial strain on families and continue the progress of the environmental movement.

“Sustainability-conscious consumers prefer such products because they understand they can help address the growing challenge of food waste,” she continues. “They recognize that even small individual contributions can collectively significantly reduce the environmental burden on our planet.”

Eckhardt highlights that bio-based preservation will gain further ground as consumers increasingly seek “free-from” foods.

“Bioprotective cultures and similar bio-based innovations will become essential for dairy and food producers aiming to satisfy both consumer expectations for transparency and industry-wide sustainability goals.