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J. T. Heimbach, JHeimbach LLC, 4530 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20008, J. F. BORZELLECA, Toxicology & Pharmacology, Inc., Smith Bldg., Rm. 660, 12th & Clay Streets, Richmond, VA 23298, and X. Rocabayera, Vedeqsa, Grupo Lamirsa, Barcelona, Spain. Public health officials estimate that there are as many as 100 million cases of food-borne illnesses each year, with up to 10,000 deaths. FDA and USDA have identified the development of new safe and effective antimicrobial products as a top priority. Ethyl-N-dodecanoyl-L-arginate hydrochloride (LAE) is a new product manufactured and patented by Laboratorios Miret, S.A. (LAMIRSA) of Barcelona. Desirable properties of LAE include its suitability for use in many different foods and beverages, effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of a broad range of microbial pathogens and spoilage organisms, low minimum inhibitory concentration, and extremely low toxicity. LAE is a cationic surfactant with a wide spectrum of activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, mold, and yeast. It reacts with the negatively charged membrane proteins, altering membrane permeability and inhibiting growth. The safety of LAE is due to the fact that, although it is shelf-stable, it is rapidly metabolized to arginine (and then to ornithine and urea) and lauric acid, substances found in far larger amounts in the normal diet. The safety of LAE is supported by metabolic studies in animals and humans and extensive toxicology testing in animals. In 2003, LAE was determined to be Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for application at 200 parts per million in meat and poultry products as well as in pizza toppings and juice beverages. Since it is applied at only 200 ppm, it does not impart undesirable sensory characteristics to the treated food. LAE is currently undergoing USDA review for suitability for addition to meat and poultry products. LAMIRSA is registered with FDA under the Bioterrorism Act for the importation of food ingredients to the U.S. The presentation will address safety and efficacy data as well as information regarding use of LAE in a variety of food applications.
Session 69, NEW PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGIES: Innovations in food safety
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