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TOPIC 2 Packaged Product Quality and Shelf Life - Coggle Diagram
TOPIC 2
Packaged Product Quality and Shelf Life
Shelf Life Studies
Direct or real-time study
Stored under normal conditions for a period
Indirect or accelerated shelf life study
Food is predicted using accelerated factors
Increased temperature are applied to the food
Definition of Shelf Life
Shelf life is defined as the length of time from the production and packaging of a product to the point at which the product first becomes unsuitable for use or consumption under defined environmental and distributing conditions. Shelf life depends on the degradation mechanism of the specific product.
Factors Affecting Quality and Shelf Life
Intrinsic factors
Water activity (Aw)
pH/total acidity
natural microflora and surviving microbiological counts in final product
availability of oxygen
redox potential
natural biochemistry/chemistry of the product
added preservatives
product formulation
packaging interactions
Extrinsic factors
time–temperature profile during processing
relative humidity (RH) during storage and distribution
exposure to light (UV and IR) during storage and distribution
temperature control during storage and distribution
composition of gas atmosphere within packaging
consumer handling
Hygiene