bisin
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Bye-bye to use-by dates: A magic ingredient
that could keep food (and wine) fresh for
years
No time to make a packed lunch before work? Soon you could make it a year
in advance.
Scientists have discovered a natural preservative which could spell the end of
rotting food.
They have pinpointed the substance which destroys the bacteria that make
meat, fish, eggs and dairy products decompose.
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Fresh for longer: The new substance would keep sandwiches on the shelves for much longer
The preservative, called bisin, could extend the food’s life for several years –
and even work for opened bottles of wine and salad dressing.
The discovery is set to revolutionise the way we shop and reduce the
20million tonnes of food waste thrown out in the UK every year.
Bisin occurs naturally in some types of harmless bacteria. It prevents the
growth of lethal bacteria including E-coli, salmonella and listeria.
The substance could extend the life of a variety of everyday foods which have
strict use-by dates including seafood, cheese and canned goods.
In some cases these foods could last for years and may not even need to be
kept in the fridge, the researchers at the University of Minnesota claim.
The scientists, who have patented the substance, are already in talks with food
manufacturers. The first products containing bisin are expected to be on the
market within three years.
Dr Dan O’Sullivan, an Irish microbiologist who works at the university, made
the discovery by accident while examining a culture of bacteria found in the
human intestine.
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Here's to bisin: The chemical could extend the life of opened bottles of wine
He said: ‘It seems to be much better than anything which has gone before. It
doesn’t compromise nutrient quality – we are not adding a chemical, we are
adding a natural ingredient.
‘It’s aimed at protecting foods from a broad range of bugs that cause disease.’
Bisin will not prevent fruit and vegetables rotting as they decompose in a
different way.
Sandwiches, takeaways and ready meals have become a staple part of our
diet, but mass production has increased the risks of food poisoning. There
were 85,000 cases last year.
Salmonella was one of the biggest culprits, accounting for around one in eight
of those.
Up to 500 people die from food poisoning in England and Wales every year.
Bisin is chemically related to nisin which is already used to keep processed
cheese sterile and edible for decades so it does not require pharmaceutical
testing.
Last month food and drink wholesaler Booker revealed it would
start supplying sandwiches with a shelf-life of two weeks to convenience
stores and corner shops.
The sandwich, the firm says, is designed to minimise wastage by retailers.
The secret to its long life is in the ingredients, including oatmeal bread, as
well as a protective atmosphere inside the packaging.
It uses a process of gas flushing in which oxygen in the packaging is replaced
by CO2 and nitrogen.
British households throw out £5billion worth of uneaten food a year, a study
has revealed.
The average household bins a staggering ten per cent of their weekly shop,
while one in five families wastes more than a quarter.
Just 71 per cent of shoppers say they think about waste while buying food and
try not to take home too much, the poll by LG Electronics found.
But 15 per cent admit they make no effort to reduce their waste.