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Processing




          Accelerated Shelf-life

          Testing - A basic understanding




            By M. Salman Chukkan*



               ood     and     Agriculture
               Organization   has   defined
          FShelf-life    as  “The  period
          during which the product maintains
          its microbiological safety, regulatory
          Compliance and sensory qualities at
          specific storage temperature.” Shelf-
          life of a product can be determined
          by taking Microbial  conditions
          (Usually followed for Meat and meat
          products) or  Sensorial  attributes
          (Most  of the food  products) and
          analytical parameters like Vitamins
          or  bioactive (In any foods  with
          vitamin  and bioactive compounds
          also claimed).

          Factors affecting Shelf-life   Remarks                             Shelf-life assessment can be done
          Product Formula                Dry Ingredients increases the shelf-life.   by  two different  methods. They  are
                                                                             Direct Method and Indirect Method.
          Product Shape & Size           More the surface area less the shelf-life.
                                                                             The direct method  is having the
          Processing Method              Some Processing methods can remove more   assessment in real-time study,  i.e.
                                         microorganism                       we keep the sample in  ambient
          Storage Condition & Supply chain  If the storage conditions are violated the shelf-  condition  and take sample at
                                         life can get reduced.               respective intervals and have the
          Packaging                      Less the Water Vapour Transmission Rate&   sensory evaluation and the analysis.
                                         Oxygen Transmission Rate higher the shelf-  Whereas  the  Indirect  Method
                                         life.                               has  Predictive  Modelling  and
                                                                             Accelerated Shelf-life Test (ASLT).

                                    shelf-life                               acceleraTed sHelF-lIFe TesT
                                   assessment                                Real Time assessment is usually
                                                                             time and resource consuming.  The
                                                                             food  industry has a  great  need to
                   direct                              Indirect              have a shelf-life test in the minimum
                   Method                              Method                time  possible  because  of  the  fierce
                                                                             competition,  sudden shortage  of
                                                                             agricultural inputs, opportunity loss
                                                                             and low unit value of the commodity.
                     real Time                            Predictive         ASLT is a form Shelf-life assessment
                       study                              Modelling          in which  the stability  or  quality  of
                                                                             the product is found out by keeping
                                                           aslT              the  sample in elevated conditions.
                                                                             By this, the deterioration  rate is


                                           Food Marketing & Technology   42 March 2020
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