It is not hard to imagine a consumer reaching past a bloated yogurt package with a look of disgust. Now imagine him or her reaching past that yeast-spoiled cup for a pristine package of the adjacent yogurt brand, turning it over and then exclaiming, in equal disgust, “Sorbate, I’m not eating that!” The yogurt goes back on the shelf, and the consumer walks away from the cultured dairy aisle.
These consumer demands, to support sustainability by reducing food waste and spoilage while also seeking labels and products cleansed of any suspiciously named preservatives, seem like diametrically opposed tasks. What’s a producer to do? The culture houses have heard the cry, and have come up with a nature-based solution: bio-protective cultures.