Consumer perception of additives identified with “E” codes has evolved towards an increasingly critical view. Although these codes are a guarantee of assessment and safety by regulatory authorities, labels with a high number of additives are often perceived as indicative of highly processed and artificial foods, leading to rejection by a growing proportion of consumers.

In response to this trend, the reformulation towards clean label products or clean label has become a strategic priority for the food industry. The demand for simpler, more understandable labels based on naturally sourced ingredients continues to grow, especially in highly complex categories such as sauces, ready meals and food products Fresh cut.

However, this transition poses an obvious technical challenge. How to ensure microbiological and physico-chemical stability without resorting to traditional preservatives and without compromising sensory quality and commercial viability?

In these highly perishable systems with high water activity (aw), the removal of additives is not trivial. It involves dealing with:

• Increased susceptibility to the growth of spoilage and pathogenic micro-organisms.
• Accelerated changes in pH, oxidation and degradation of bioactive compounds.
• Loss of key sensory attributes during the shelf life primary and, especially, secondary education.

Clean labelling does not mean simplifying formulation

The concept clean label does not imply a simplification of the formulation but, in many cases, an increase in its technological complexity. One of the most common mistakes is to assume that reducing the number of ingredients leads to simpler development. However, the elimination of additives requires greater control and understanding of the factors that determine the stability of the food.

This problem is particularly critical in complex matrices, such as emulsions or products with high water activity (aw), where variables such as fat phase, moisture content, pH, processing treatments or storage conditions directly influence the evolution of the product throughout its shelf life.

Therefore, the challenge is not only to remove certain additives, but to reformulate the system to ensure that this is done at the same time:

• Microbiological stability, limiting the growth of spoilage and pathogenic micro-organisms.
• Resistance to oxidative phenomena, preserving the physico-chemical and sensory quality.

A shelf life compatible with logistical and commercial requirements, including distribution, storage and consumer use.

Plant-based ingredients in reformulation strategies

Within clean labelling reformulation strategies, ingredients of plant origin are gaining prominence. Their interest lies not only in their origin, but also in their ability to perform technological functions. This requires working with systems where the formulation must simultaneously balance three key dimensions: product stability, sensory acceptability and matching consumer expectations.

In this context, certain families of ingredients of natural origin are attracting increasing interest for their ability to contribute to food stability. These include citrus extracts, rich in phenolic compounds; green tea extracts, characterised by their high catechin content; as well as garlic and onion extracts (Allium spp.). In addition, aromatic plant extracts are widely used for their culinary and oxidative protection effects.

Its incorporation is particularly relevant in food categories such as sauces, ready meals or pre-prepared convenience products, where the behaviour of the food depends on multiple variables such as the composition of the matrix, the heat treatment, the packaging system or the storage conditions.

In emulsified matrices, such as mayonnaises, fine sauces or table sauces, citrus extracts and natural green tea extracts are integrated in reformulation lines where the balance between the different emulsion components, pH and sensory profile requires fine tuning.

In applications where garlic or onion form part of the organoleptic profile - such as gazpacho, hummus, guacamole or spicy sauces - ingredients derived from these raw materials provide coherence between formulation, sensory identity and label positioning.

In this respect, its role in the reformulation of the clean label must be understood within a global approach to preservation, in which factors such as microbiological stability, susceptibility to oxidation and product development during shelf life are closely interrelated. These three axes constitute the pillars on which stability in clean-labelled formulations is built.

1. Microbiological stability: a multifactorial approach

The modification of parameters such as pH, aw or packaging conditions directly influences the evolution of the product, so reformulation must be approached from a global vision. In this context, ingredients of plant origin do not act as direct substitutes for traditional preservatives, but as modulators of the preservation system. Their efficacy depends on their interaction with the food matrix and is integrated within a multi-barrier approach (hurdle technology), in which different factors act in combination to limit microbial growth.

2. Oxidation in food: impact on quality and perception

Beyond microbiological control, oxidation is positioned as one of the main quality limiting factors in clean label products, especially in matrices with lipid fraction or high exposure to oxygen.

Unlike conventional systems, where the use of synthetic antioxidants allows for relatively predictable control, their reduction or elimination in reformulation requires a more integrated approach to the system. In products such as sauces, ready meals or pre-prepared convenience food, oxidative processes not only affect chemical stability, but also consumer perception, manifesting themselves in colour alterations, deviations in the aromatic profile and loss of freshness.

In this context, oxidation control is no longer dependent on a single ingredient but is the result of the interaction of multiple factors:

• Matrix composition, especially type and distribution of the fatty phase.
• Processing conditions, which may induce or accelerate oxidative reactions.
• Exposure to oxygen, light and temperature during storage and distribution
• Packaging systems, which modulate oxygen availability.

This scenario forces us to approach oxidation not as an isolated phenomenon, but as a dynamic process closely linked to the overall design of the food, where the selection of natural ingredients with antioxidant activity must be coherently integrated within the system.

Shelf life: the balance between safety, quality and commercial viability

Shelf life should not be understood as a fixed value, but as a dynamic equilibrium conditioned by the interaction between the product and its environment over time. In complex matrices, small variations in temperature, exposure to oxygen or storage conditions can accelerate both microbiological spoilage and physico-chemical processes.

This behaviour becomes particularly critical outside controlled conditions. Factors such as breakage of the cold chain, domestic storage or handling after opening introduce variability that is difficult to predict, which has a direct impact on food safety and quality.

In this sense, secondary shelf life plays a key role. Once the product is opened, the system loses a large part of the initial barriers, increasing exposure to contaminants and favouring degradation, especially in products with high water activity. Therefore, the objective is not only to define a shelf life under ideal conditions, but also to guarantee the behaviour of the product in real use scenarios. This implies developing solutions capable of maintaining:

• Microbiological safety, even in the event of deviations in the cold chain.
• Physico-chemical and sensory stability, avoiding defects during storage.
• Consistency of the product under varying conditions, including consumer handling.

In this context, the real challenge is not to extend the laboratory lifetime, but to ensure its robustness to real variability, while maintaining its technological and commercial viability.

Adaptation to each matrix: there are no universal solutions.

Each food has its own behaviour, so that preservation strategies cannot be extrapolated directly between matrices.

In colloidal systems such as sauces and emulsions, microbiological and physicochemical stability is strongly conditioned by the phase distribution. The location of the active compounds between the aqueous and lipid phase, the water activity (aw) and the droplet size determine their efficacy, so that small variations can lead to destabilisation phenomena or loss of preservative effect.

In ready meals, the complexity of the matrix and the heterogeneity in the availability of water and nutrients generate microenvironments with differentiated behaviour. In these cases, stability depends on the interaction between heat treatment, reformulation and the risk of post-process recontamination, as well as structural changes that may occur during storage.

For their part, pre-prepared convenience products represent one of the greatest challenges from the point of view of preservation. These are minimally processed matrices, with high water activity and without lethal treatments, where stability is closely linked to the control of the initial microbiota and the maintenance of the cold chain. In addition, physiological processes specific to plant tissue, such as respiration or enzymatic activity, directly condition its shelf life.

In this scenario, the key is not to identify a specific ingredient or technology, but to design specific solutions for each matrix, coherently integrating formulation, process and preservation.

DOMCA: more knowledge to ensure stability in formulations clean label

Far from simplifying development, the approach clean label makes formulation more demanding. Preservation no longer relies on single solutions but on a more precise adjustment, based on a combination of factors, product knowledge and process control.

Within our range of products for the food industry, DOMCA we have more than 48 years of experience developing and manufacturing solutions of natural origin for the food industry. Our team of technologists, specialised in formulation for different sectors, works from a customised approach, because each product requires a response adapted to its matrix, process, stability and shelf-life objectives.

As a reliable technology partner, we do not offer standard solutions, but technical support based on knowledge of the product and its actual behaviour. If you want to make progress in the reformulation of your products, do not hesitate to contact us. We will study your case to propose the most appropriate approach and a solution tailored to your needs.