Health CANADA gives nod to new food ingredient that fights Listeria

08.feb.11
Food Business Review

Griffith Laboratories, a family-owned manufacturer of ingredient blends in the US, has developed a new ingredient – Micocin that is designed to recognize, target and inhibit the growth of bacteria, especially Listeria. The company said that Micocin has been approved for sale by Health Canada.
The company claims that this ingredient can reduce the risk of serious Listeria outbreak and food product recall by controlling the growth of Listeria in packaged meat products.
The Canadian approval means that customers in Canada as well as the US can begin using Micocin to help control Listeria in finished products.
The superfine powder is diluted in water and then precisely deposited onto foods during the packaging process, creating an environment in which Listeria cannot thrive, explained Griffith.
Griffith has partnered with CanBiocin, a company formed by a team from the University of Alberta, in development of this food technology into a variety of products.
Griffith Laboratories new technology senior vice president David Smith said with new Canadian legislation expected to be introduced on 1 April 2011 designed to reduce the risk of Listeria in Ready to Eat Foods in response to the Weatherill Report, the company is excited to bring this groundbreaking ingredient to the marketplace.