Sensient launches fermentation technologies to increase dairy culture yields

Sensient Flavors & Extracts has launched Amberferm Grow 288 and Amberferm Grow 289, fermentation nutrient formulations developed by Sensient BioNutrients. The products are intended for manufacturers of dairy cultures used in yogurt, cheese and fermented milk beverages.

The formulations address the capacity constraints of starter-culture producers seeking to increase output without expanding their facilities. Dairy-culture production depends on selected microorganisms that ferment milk, and the two ingredients were designed for compatibility with a range of dairy-culture strains.

In targeted trials, Amberferm Grow 288 and 289 increased packed cell volume yields, with some tests recording twice the biomass produced by industry-standard fermentation nutrients from the same bioreactor footprint. Sensient described the result as an increase in cell volume yield from existing production capacity.

The ingredients also showed higher acidification activity in dairy cultures. According to Sensient, this supported more predictable fermentation cycles for downstream cheese and yogurt production. The company said the metabolic performance of the cultures can help manufacturers maintain texture, shelf life and sensory characteristics while reducing processing times.

Sensient BioNutrients said the formulations were developed around the metabolic requirements of dairy-culture strains rather than as generic yeast extracts. The nutrient systems are intended to improve nutrient uptake, support strain stability during high-density fermentation, and give producers flexibility in refining proprietary culture blends.

The products are commercially available in North America and Europe. Sensient presented their launch as part of a broader use of biotechnology and process-efficiency measures in dairy production, as ingredient suppliers respond to demand for cultured and functional foods and to pressure on processors' operating margins.