We have been working with Activa for years. The biggest issue has been the size of the package. It is traditionally used by larger companies. The kilogram bag it comes in illustrates this. The bag size becomes a hindrance in restaurant applications because we use much smaller quantities. Once the shelf stable bag is open it should be vacuum sealed and kept in the freezer. This keeps the enzyme alive and inactive. Unfortunately, the bags are not always sealed well. The bags are left out on shelves and counter tops. There is a greater chance of cross contamination because people are not scrupulous about taking Activa from bag and using it in smaller quanities for different proteins.
When we first started working with Activa we received sample sizes, 100-gram pouches to work with. These were the optimum size for most restaurants because they could use them up before the enzyme expired. To put this in perspective we use between 0.5-1% Activa by weight. So 100 grams of Activa is enough for 10,000 grams or roughly 22 pounds of protein. For years now, I have been trying to convince the good folks at Ajinomoto to sell these smaller, more functional bags for restaurant use. Yesterday I found out my badgering had not fallen on deaf ears. Restaurants can now by 10 packs of Activa RM and GS. The 100 gram bags are shelf stable until opened and then you vacuum seal them and put them in the freezer. No longer will $80 bags of Activa "go bad" due to user error. The catch is that the smaller bags are more expensive. The 10 packs cost $105 for the RM and $115 for the GS. The individual packaging, smaller footprint in the freezer, reduced product waste, and functionality make them worth the premium. To order the Activa, register on their website www.ajiusafood.com. It took 24 hours for our registration to process. Be more patient than we were. Hopefully if this goes well they will add the Ti and YG to the program.
Years Past
January 29, 2006
January 29, 2005
