Meat starter culture is the addition of viable microorganisms directly to meat for maintaining the microbiological quality and development of color, texture, and flavor of meat products. Such starter cultures help improve keeping or storing quality of the meat while maintaining the nutritional properties which enhances consumer acceptability of the meat products. Meat starter cultures mainly include maturation starters and surface starters for application in fresh ground meats, cooked meats, dry and semi-cured meats. Microorganisms used in meat starter cultures include lactic acid bacteria, gram-positive catalase-positive cocci, fungi, and yeasts that are not harmful to health and have the ability to tolerate salt and nitrite. Rapid expansion of meat industry in various regions across the globe has been largely influencing the development of meat starter culture market at the global level.
Chr. Hansen, Kerry, FRUTAROM, PROQUIGA, Canada Compound, D.M.Dunningham, Stuffers Supply Company, Danisco (DuPont), SOYUZSNAB, Galactic, Sacco System, Lallemand, BIOVITEC, DnR Sausage Supplies, Caldwell, Lactina, Lb Bulgaricum, Angel Yeast, Biocatalysts Limited, BIOVITEC, Lesaffre, Dohler, Csk Food Enrichment, Natren, and Wyeast Laboratories are among the key players participating in the meat starter culture market.
- In January 2019, Frutarom, a subsidiary of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., announced its complete acquisition of 60% of Thailand-based The Mighty Co. Ltd., a leading provider of savory solutions in the country. The German-based company had a great reputation of its ‘CombiSafe starter cultures’ launched in June 2016, which enable meat processors and manufacturers to significantly reduce Listeria monocytogenes in salami and raw fermented sausages.
- In September 2018, DuPont Nutrition & Health announced to present its new YO-MIX® M11 starter culture in Food Ingredient Asia 2018. In April, it launched a new line of DuPontTM Danisco® enzymes within the POWERBake® range for the bakery industry.
- In March 2018, Chr. Hansen, one of the leading meat starter culture market players, launched DVS White Flora, consisting three new starter cultures designed for white cheese which help provide rich flavor, more flexibility, and consistent quality for cheese makers. According to the company, with DVS white flora, it is possible to secure high-quality white cheese that taste delicious.
Meat starter culture market is expected to earn significant traction in next few years, owing to the ability of such cultures to develop color, flavor, and provide safety to the meat products. Ever-rising global population has led to a surge in meat consumption, resulting in increased production capacity and supply of meat, which in turn is likely to translate into demand for meat starter cultures. Many meat retailers are focusing on introducing their brands of processed meat products which are cost-effective, ready-to-cook, and can be stored for a longer period of time. This is considered to be one of the important factors impacting the growth of meat starter culture market. Increasing awareness among wide range of population regarding their protein intake in the daily diet has influenced growth of global meat industry and eventually the expansion of meat starter culture market.
Factors such as adoption of new lifestyle trends and food habits on the account of various mass urbanization and rapid industrialization in several countries has increased the demand for processed meat products which is expected to bode well with the growth of meat starter culture market. In addition, advances in studies of flavor genesis and gene technology have improved hygienic suitability of starter cultures which may promote the growth of meat starter culture market.