Natural preservative npc for food safety enhancement
Discover NPc, a natural preservative derived from Aspergillus oryzae fermentation, offering potent antifungal properties against spoilage molds and yeasts. Enhance food safety and quality with this clean-label solution, validated in cheese and beverage applications.
Overview
The NPc preservative is a groundbreaking natural solution for enhancing food safety and quality. Derived from the fermentation of casein with the GRAS fungus Aspergillus oryzae, NPc is a cell-free filtrate exhibiting broad-spectrum antifungal properties. It targets spoilage molds and yeasts, including the acid-tolerant Zygosaccharomyces bailii, meeting consumer demand for clean-label products. This innovative preservative not only inhibits the growth of pathogenic molds and yeasts but also ensures thermal stability, making it an ideal choice for various food and beverage applications.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Derived from the casein fermentation by Aspergillus oryzae
- Broad-spectrum antifungal activity against molds and yeasts such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, and Penicillium species
- Demonstrates up to 99.99% reduction in A. fumigatus spores and 99.9% reduction in C. albicans cells within 12 hours
- Effective in inhibiting mold growth on cheeses like pepper jack, Colby jack, and cheddar
- Available in liquid and powder formulations for a variety of applications
Technology readiness level
Currently at Technology Readiness Level 5, NPc has been validated under laboratory conditions and small-scale real-world applications in cheeses. Future plans involve testing NPc's efficacy in beverages and conducting detailed antimicrobial susceptibility assays to further establish its effectiveness against preservative-resistant strains like Zygosaccharomyces bailii.
About University of Wisconsin, Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is the state’s flagship public research university, a comprehensive institution with a large research enterprise and broad disciplinary breadth. Industry engages through shared instrumentation, pilot‑scale testbeds, and co-located core facilities that support prototyping and scale-up. An affiliated research and technology park hosts startups and corporate R&D, while integration with a major hospital system enables clinical translation; a statewide extension network connects campus advances to companies and communities across Wisconsin. Research is sustained by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOE, USDA, and DoD, alongside state and industry partnerships. Dedicated commercialization support—through an affiliated foundation and campus offices—provides IP management, licensing, startup mentoring, and flexible, industry-friendly agreements.
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