Danisco taps growth in value added cheese cultures
growth in the cheese cultures sector.
Choozit GCI 23, a new Geotrichum candidum, can be used to create an unusual tutti-frutti flavour and odour in soft cheeses.
The Danish company claims that the product fits with the general consumer trend in Western Europe for a lighter taste, and is a major advance from the strong sulphuric notes usually found in Geotrichums.
Such innovations have led to strong organic growth in Danisco's cultures business. Cultures president Fabienne Saadane-Oaks said last month that the sector has seen double-digit growth this year.
This helped the Specialty Products unit record a sales increase of 2 per cent during the first six months, despite the decline in sales of flavours, accounting for about half of the turnover at this unit.
This growth is even stronger in the Asia-Pacific region, where sales are up by more than 40 per cent so far this year as the region sees booming demand for dairy products. In October Danisco opened a new innovation centre in Singapore to capitalise further on this demand.
In addition, new flavours are becoming a good and popular way for dairy firms to add value to, and extend, product lines. A recent Frost & Sullivan report on Europe's enzyme market said demand for new flavours would be a key player in maintaining dairy enzyme innovation.
Danisco says that the fruity aroma its new product, Choozit GCI 23, can capitalise on this demand by offering a pleasant and differentiating taste to all soft cheeses from camembert to goat cheeses.
In addition, Choozit GCI 23, isolated from raw milk, does not develop any bitterness nor acidity because it offers high stability during ripening, and as such is also ideal for use in country-style traditional cheeses. Danisco claims that it offers the added advantage of producing a light rind in-between yeast and mould, therefore avoiding the unattractive appearance of a toad skin-like cheese surface.
Danisco is a leader in cheese ripening cultures, and the group recently was named as one of Frost & Sullivan's 'big four' in Europe's €200bn food enzyme market, alongside Novozymes, Chr Hansen and DSM.
