More printed labels for food products could soon be featuring natural antioxidants after a study found some examples are as effective as synthetic products.

Kelsec, which produces natural flavours and colourings, carried out a study on pork sausages, Food Ingredients First magazine reports.

It was found that sausages treated with natural antioxidants oxidised at a similarly slow rate to products treated with synthetic alternatives.

Manufactured chemicals are regularly used to prevent colour loss and other storage problems, but many consumers are unhappy to see them on printed labels.

"Food manufacturers continue to seek alternatives to synthetic antioxidants that not only provide cleaner product labels, but also maintain product quality and stability," said Kalsec's Gary Augustine.

He insisted that the results show natural products to provide a viable alternative to their synthetic counterparts.

 Last month, the European Union proposed new legislation for bacon packaging that would require products to state whether they contain more than five per cent water.

Denny Bros Ltd, 15 August 2011