Catalina Food Solutions is responding to changing food and beverage industry trends with a portfolio of natural ingredients that helps manufacturers reformulate products and meet evolving customer expectations. The company develops scalable solutions tailored to individual production processes, enabling businesses to pursue cleaner formulations while maintaining operational performance.
Its portfolio addresses a broad range of manufacturing requirements. Natural functional systems can help improve yield and texture while eliminating the need for phosphates. Other solutions support longer shelf life without chemical preservatives, helping manufacturers maintain food safety, product stability and quality. The range also includes microbiological control systems designed to reinforce product protection and help limit the development of microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes. These solutions form part of a wider, integrated approach that combines hygiene, processing, preservation and industrial validation.
A key product within the portfolio is Nitrite-Free. For Real, which enables the production of genuinely nitrite-free meat products without synthetic or plant-derived nitrate or nitrite sources. The solution meets rising demand for greater formulation transparency across products including bacon, cooked ham, sausages, cured meats and marinated lines.
In the UK, this movement reflects a broader discussion about ingredient transparency, ultra-processed foods and additive use. Organisations including SAFE, a member of the Coalition Against
Nitrites, have raised concerns about claims such as “uncured” or “no added nitrites”.
Consumer purchasing data indicates that this interest is translating into measurable market change. During the 12 weeks ending 25 January, the value of nitrite-cured bacon sales declined by 7.3% compared with the corresponding period a year earlier. Meanwhile, nitrite-free products recorded 21.7% growth, highlighting increased consumer interest in meat products made without nitrites (Worldpanel by Numerator 2026).
The discussion has also intensified in the United States, where the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative has focused attention on the links between ultra-processed foods, additives, children’s health and product reformulation. The May 2025 MAHA report stated that approximately 70% of branded food products sold in US supermarkets are ultra-processed. In April 2025, the HHS and FDA also announced plans to progress the removal of petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the US food supply.
“The market is moving towards products with clearer labels, more understandable ingredients and natural solutions that perform under real industrial conditions. Our goal is to support manufacturers throughout this
transition, offering ingredients that enable reformulation without compromising safety, quality or the final product’s sensory experience,” says Federico Vera, technical director at Catalina Food Solutions.
Through this portfolio, Catalina Food Solutions continues to support meat, fish and other food manufacturers as a technical partner addressing priorities such as shelf life, texture, flavour, preservation, yield, naturalness and clean labelling. Its expertise aligns with major food manufacturing trends, food processing technology developments and food and drink sustainability objectives, while also helping customers respond to food and drink regulations, food and drink packaging requirements, food and drink marketing priorities and changing food and drink consumer trends.
As a manufacturer and fermenter of natural ingredients, the company operates an integrated development model that gives it direct control over innovation, production and quality. This approach enables Catalina Food Solutions to deliver practical solutions that support food and drink industry innovation across the supply chain, including emerging food distribution trends.
