Page 31 - FoodFocusThailand No.228 March 2025

SPECIAL FOCUS FOCUS
SPECIAL

Trehalose:

The Key Ingredient Fortification for

Sustainable Meat and Poultry Products

Trehalose is a naturally occurring, non-reducing disaccharide processing. Trehalose, with its strong water retention,
consisting of two glucose molecules bound by an α, α-1,1 can be used to overcome this situation. Treat meat
glycosidic linkage, with excellent water retention and with trehalose before heating, and protein denaturation
stability. Trehalose was originally extracted from yeast and is slowed. Even under the same heating conditions,
meat treated with trehalose retains its tenderness and
was extremely expensive , however, through advances juiciness. Sensory evaluations have shown that
1
in enzyme technology, we succeeded in mass-producing trehalose improves not only texture but also overall
trehalose in 1995. taste, including aroma.
2. Reducing freeze-thaw damage Have you ever
noticed that once frozen, the texture of meat
Meeting consumers’ demand, the food ingredient company from
Japan continued to improve product quality with exclusive patents , deteriorates, and thawing results in drip loss? Ice
2
crystals grow in meat during frozen storage, damaging
and trehalose has been distributed for more than a decade in its structure. Trehalose treatment can reduce the
Thailand. Trehalose has been applied to various foods, such as rice, damage. Why? In trehalose solutions, ice crystals are
bread, meat, fish, and vegetables. The low sweetness and excellent observed to become smaller and rounder – meaning
water retention ability have contributed to the quality of foods for less damage to meat.
decades in Thailand, and around the world. 3. Contributing to sustainability with trehalose
by reducing food waste One of the major issues in
Advantages of Trehalose on Meat Processing the food industry is food waste, represented by expired
1. Maintaining tenderness and juiciness Have you ever products and leftovers. Examples include fried chicken
experienced meat becoming tough and dry after cooking while being that becomes dry and is discarded from food display
kept warm? This is due to a phenomenon called protein denaturation warmers, and processed foods returned from
by heat, where proteins coagulate and release water when heated. consumers due to quality complaints. Let me introduce
The more the meat is heated, the more protein becomes coagulated a case study of a poultry processor, troubled by
and dried; however, sufficient heating is necessary for safe quality complaints about the texture and smell of
chicken. Using trehalose in the pre-treatment
eliminated complaints, simultaneously improving
texture and taste.
In Japan, there is a concept called “mottainai,”
meaning not to waste anything edible. This concept
gained global recognition when Nobel Peace Prize
laureate Wangari Maathai highlighted it. Trehalose is
a material that can reduce waste and help people eat
food deliciously to the last bite. It naturally preserves
the freshly made taste until the moment of consumption.
Therefore, trehalose supports both people’s smiles
and earth’s sustainable future.

More Information Service Info C002

เอกสารอ้างอิง / References
https://www.nagase-foods.com/global/treha/about_
1
treha/what_is_treha/
2 Patent No. 94332 “PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A
PARTICULATE COMPOSITION COMPRISING CRYSR
TALLINE ALPHA, ALPHA-TREHALOSE DI-HYDRATE”

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