Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.

Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.

ACTIVA®

A line of enzyme preparations that support texture and bonding projects

Create Stable Bonds with Enzyme Preparations

ACTIVA® enzyme preparations cross link meat, poultry, and fish proteins to help create unique food concepts. Our bonding systems support an array of benefits such as, portion control, raw sliceability, raw material utilization, and so much more. The covalent bonds formed are freeze/thaw and heat stable and are not affected by salts or phosphates. Explore our ACTIVA® line and reach out for more information on your next project.

Activa infused steak
Activa infused mussels

Transglutaminase: A Versatile Ingredient

Providing superior results in an array of applications

Transglutaminase (TG), composed of simple amino acid chains, is an enzyme that is present in nature and has been studied by many researchers for use in food around the world. Our line of transglutaminase/enzyme preparations called ACTIVA® is produced through a fermentation process which is similar to making beer, wine and cheese; using conventional microorganisms.

Transglutaminase in ACTIVA® preparations is able to improve the physical properties of various foods containing proteins. The use of the product offers various benefits to food companies and consumers.

In bakery and milk products, ACTIVA® preparations improve texture and loaf volume in baked breads, but also enhances mouthfeel, creaminess, and improves yield in dairy applications. In processed meat products, such as emulsified sausage and cooked ham, they improve texture and increase connectivity, thus decreasing loss during manufacturing process. In meat and fish, ACTIVA® preparations enable combining quality parts of meat/fish, decreasing loss and waste, and consequently reducing pricing of the final products. This is an important contribution to a responsible and sustainable food chain. This also helps to reduce the negative environmental effects of farming by maximizing the use of the food that is produced. ACTIVA® preparations also replace the benefits lost when reducing salt in meat systems while maintaining or improving texture in meat applications.

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Industries

Easily enhance taste, texture, and nutritional value of food and beverage formulas

Backed by Science

Safety
The FDA classifies transglutaminase as GRAS (generally recognized as safe), and the USDA deems the ingredient safe to use in meat and poultry products.
Function
Transglutaminase catalyzes the cross-link of side chains of two amino acids (glutamine and lysine) in proteins, and thus yielding ε- (γ-glutamyl)-lysine bond.
Stability

This bond is stable in many environments including heat, freezer and thaw. Typically TG works within the protein of food materials, and contributes to improving applications across a multitude of food categories.

Related Resources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Various management practices affect milk production in dairy herds. To ensure success with AjiPro-L, close consultation with your nutritionist and/or Ajinomoto experts is advised. Top-dressing AjiPro-L onto existing rations is not recommended.
Lysine is usually the 2nd limiting amino acid in US dairy rations, after Methionine. Consult with your nutritionist or feed mill on available Methionine sources.

AjiPro®-L remains generally stable in TMR for up to 24 hours. This is an important feature of an effective rumen protected lysine product since it has to be mixed with TMR, and it may take 12-24 hours for dairy cows to finish consuming the feed.

Although it depends on the usage of AjiPro®-L, the dairy management and other factors, most research trials using AjiPro®-L have shown an improved yield of milk components, especially protein.
No, AjiPro®-L cannot be pelletized. One of the protective agents of AjiPro®-L is hydrogenated soy oil, and this ingredient may degrade when exposed to high temperatures in the pelleting process. Pelleting AjiPro®-L will compromise the bypass rate of lysine in dairy cows, lowering the product performance.