Our commitment to the free from flavour enhancers
Published on November 23, 2022The aim still being to provide natural charcuterie and cured meat products, André Bazin Company has removed all flavour enhancers from its ingredient lists, more particularly glutamate, which has been the subject of much controversy.
Glutamate
Glutamate is an amino acid salt that is naturally present in our bodies and in many unprocessed foods such as meats, fruits, vegetables, and fish. In its synthetic form, it is an additive from the flavour enhancer family, which can be found in many food products, among which charcuterie, to accentuate salty flavours, the taste of meat or broth.
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) conducted a study in 2017 to reassess the safety of glutamates used as food additives.
From this report it has been concluded that this flavour enhancer is risk-free for "most categories of the population" and an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg per kg of body weight is calculated. According to Dr. Claude Lampré, member of the EFSA scientific group and chairman of the working group responsible for this study:
"Based on the available evidence, we consider that the new calculated group ADI for glutamic acid and glutamates adequately protects consumers health because it is lower than the doses associated with certain effects observed in humans, such as headaches, increased blood pressure, or elevated insulin levels."
What flavour enhancers are present in charcuterie?
The food codex has set up a complete list of flavour enhancers, which are all within the "E" family food additives.
Glutamates from E 620 to E 625
Guanylates from E 626 to E 629
Inosinates from E 630 to E 633
In the food industry, there are rules on when and how additives can be used and in our core charcuterie business, the reference is the Charcuterie Code of Practice.
Glutamic acid (E620), and its salts (E 621 to E 625) are authorised on certain products.
Choice cooked ham
Standard cooked ham
knacks
Cooked sausages
Choice and standard et standard meat cuts
Flavour enhancers are prohibited in the Organic range and other products such as:
Superior cooked ham
Lardons
Raw ham
Superior pieces of meat cuts
How did André Bazin’s teams remove these additives from their products?
After our pioneering work at André Bazin on "Nitrite-free," our Clean Label approach has logically led us towards the removal of flavour enhancers.
Our research and development teams have thus worked for about a year towards the complete removal of monosodium glutamate (E 621), the only flavour enhancer used in our Knacks, Strasbourg sausages, garlic-cooked sausages, ham-cooked sausages, chipolatas and marinated grills and breasts ranges.
A technical and thorough process, together with our spice suppliers, that has enabled us to replace this additive with natural flavours and still preserving the taste and flavour of our products.
We are thus very proud to announce that as from 2021, we can guarantee our customers that no André Bazin product contain any flavour enhancers.
Sources
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/fr/efsajournal/pub/4910
https://ifip.asso.fr/documentations/3090-code-des-usages-de-la-charcuterie-de-la-salaison-et-des-conserves-de-viandes-mise-a-jour-2017/
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