Food Safety And Quality Based Shelf Life Of Perishable Foods

This book addresses the shelf life of foods, a key factor in determining how food is distributed and consequently where and when different food products are available for consumption. Shelf life is determined by several factors, including microbiological, chemical, physical, and organoleptic deterioration. Often these factors are interrelated and interdependent. The editors of this volume focus specifically on the microbial factors related to shelf life of perishable foods and food commodities. This allows for more detailed coverage of foodborne bacterial pathogens and spoilage microorganisms of concern. The initial part of the book covers the why and how of shelf life determination as well as the specific microbial pathogens and spoilage microorganisms of concern for perishable foods. Contributors address topics such as the techniques utilized for determination of shelf life, the frequency of shelf life testing for different products, the interpretation of data to make shelf life determinations, and management of shelf life of food products from the perspective of the food producer, distributor, retailer, and regulator. Three key areas impacting shelf life are addressed in detail: sanitation, processing, and packaging. The sanitation chapter explains the necessary components of cleaning and sanitizing to assure a hygienic processing environment and why that is critical to shelf life control. Traditional processing procedures are reviewed and advanced processing technologies are explored. Materials used in food packaging and the utilization of traditional and activated food packaging by product type are covered in detail. The latter two chapters of the book delve into newer techniques of analysis and explore the microbiome of food products. Implications of microbial ecology and microbial quantification in food products are discussed in chapters on genomics and in the changing dogma of meat shelf life. The primary audience for this work includes food industry quality and food safety technicians, managers, directors, and executives responsible for shelf life. Academicians and governmental researchers involved in research and teaching about food safety and quality will also find the material relevant and useful.

This practical book summarizes the available information on the shelf-life evaluation of foods. The first part of the book covers basic principles, while the remaining chapters cover specific commodities or product groups.

"This book overviews the issues associated with the shelf life enhancement and shelf life evaluation of various food products. The unique features are that it covers shelf life evaluation methods, determinants for shelf life, food quality assessment, basic and innovative technologies which will improve the shelf life of food products"--

The stability and shelf-life of a food product are critical to its success in the market place, yet companies experience considerable difficulties in defining and understanding the factors that influence stability over a desired storage period. This book is the most comprehensive guide to understanding and controlling the factors that determine the shelf-life of food products.

Shelf life, a term recognised in EU/UK food legislation, may bedefined as the period of time for which a food product will remainsafe and fit for use, provided that it is kept in defined storageconditions. During this period, the product should retain itsdesired sensory, chemical, physical, functional and microbiologicalcharacteristics, as well as accurately comply with any nutritionalinformation printed on the label. Shelf lifetherefore refers to a number of different aspects; each foodproduct has a microbiological shelf life, a chemical shelf life,and a sensory (or organoleptic) shelf life. These categoriesreflect the different ways in which a food product will deteriorateover time. Ultimately the shelf life of a food product is intendedto reflect the overall effect of these different aspects. Shelf life has always been an important facet of industrial foodpreparation and production, as food and drink are often produced inone area and then distributed to other areas for retailing andconsumption. Globalised distribution and supply chains make itimperative that food should survive the transit between producerand consumer – as a perishable commodity, food carries a highrisk of spoilage. As such, a realistic, workable and reproducibleshelf life has to be determined every time a new food product isdeveloped and marketed; shelf life determination of food has becomean integral part of food safety, quality assurance, productdevelopment, marketing, and consumer behaviour. Dominic Mans Shelf Life, now in a revised and updatedsecond edition, encompasses the core considerations about shelflife. Section 1 introduces shelf life, describes its relationshipto food safety, and provides answers to the frequently askedquestions around shelf life determination and testing which are amanagers chief concerns. Section 2 covers the science of thevarious ways in which food deteriorates and spoils, including thephysical, chemical and microbiological changes. Section 3 looks atshelf life in practice, using case studies of different products toillustrate how shelf life may be determined in real life settings.This book will be invaluable to both practitioners and students inneed of a succinct and comprehensive overview of shelf lifeconcerns and topics.

This volume focuses on food preservation prior to distribution and sale, which is a major challenge in the tropical climates of most developing nations. In order to assure that food products are safe for human consumption, due importance must be given to the quality and safety aspects of production, processing, and distribution. This volume provides an informative overview of recent research on the therapeutic potential of various new and natural compounds along with novel technologies for enhanced shelf-life longevity and food safety. It also looks at the antimicrobial constituents of different sources and the history of their use as biopreservatives. It includes scientific evaluations of their use as alternative or potential biopreservatives. Focusing on real-life applications in consumer and food products, the book is divided into three parts, covering health and quality aspects of food preservation, applications of novel biomolecules for quality and safety of foods, and novel research techniques in food biopreservation.

Food Shelf Life Stability provides a unique approach to understanding this critical subject by examining physical, chemical, and biochemical factors affecting food quality. The first section emphasizes the effects that water activity, glass transition, and plasticization have on temperature, water content, and time-dependant phenomena affecting

Abstract: Open shelf-life dating means the use of comprehensible terms such as day, month, and year as an indication of when food was packaged or by when it should beused or sold. A survey revealed that 96 percent of consumers were concerned about food freshness; however, their awareness and comprehension of open dates varied considerably. The benefits of open dating concern food quality, nutrition, food safety, inventory, and education. The types of open dates are: date of pack or manufacture, pull date or sell-by date, best-if-used-by date, expiration or use-by date, or combination of the first four. Food shelf-life is dependent on time and environmental factors. The three alternative open dating systems are: voluntary, mandatory, and voluntary/mandatory. Enforcement and liability would depend on the system used, but Federal and state inspection systems would routinely survey the market. Various congressional options for open dating as well as technical information and the status of open dating in foreign countries are discussed.

Ensuring that foods and beverages remain stable during the required shelf life is critical to their success in the market place, yet companies experience difficulties in this area. Food and beverage stability and shelf life provides a comprehensive guide to factors influencing stability, methods of stability and shelf life assessment and the stability and shelf life of major products.Part one describes important food and beverage quality deterioration processes, including microbiological spoilage and physical instability. Chapters in this section also investigate the effects of ingredients, processing and packaging on stability, among other factors. Part two describes methods for stability and shelf life assessment including food storage trials, accelerated testing and shelf life modelling. Part three reviews the stability and shelf life of a wide range of products, including beer, soft drinks, fruit, bread, oils, confectionery products, milk and seafood.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Food and beverage stability and shelf life is a valuable reference for professionals involved in quality assurance and product development and researchers focussing on food and beverage stability. A comprehensive guide to factors influencing stability, methods of stability and shelf life assessment and the stability and shelf life of major products Describes important food and beverage quality deterioration processes exploring microbiological spoilage and physical instability Investigate the effects of ingredients, processing and packaging on stability and documents methods for stability and shelf life assessment