Food Quality and Shelf Life covers all aspects and challenges of food preservation, packaging and shelf-life. It provides information on the most important pillars in the field, starting with active and smart packaging materials, novel technologies, and control tools in all stages between production and consumer. The book gives emphasis to methodological approaches for sensory shelf-life estimation and the impact of packaging on sensorial properties. Researchers and professionals alike will find this reference useful, especially those who are interested in the performance evaluation of future packaging for fresh produce in the cold chain and temperature management in the supply chain.

The subject of shelf life of foods is not a new one. Increasing consumer interest in food safety, quality and date marking, competitjve pressures from retailers and extensive legislative changes, however, have combined to give the subject a new significance. The proper and correct determina tion of shelf life is of course fundamental to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for the food and drink industry. Manufacturers who aim to produce safe, wholesome and attractive food products 'right the first time' and 'right every time' will already know the importance of proper shelf life evaluation. Incorrect shelf lives can potentially bring about dire legal, safety or financial consequences. This is not to belittle the difficulty of failing to meet consumer expectations consistently as a result of shelf lives that have been arrived at unreliably. A proper evaluation of shelf life must be grounded on sound scientific principles, supported by up-to-date techniques in food science and tech nology. This book, therefore, begins with five chapters reviewing the prin ciples of shelf life evaluation. These are followed by ten chapters on a number of selected food products. All the authors either have first hand experience on the practice of shelf life evaluation or are involved in research of the subject. Because of the diversity and complexity of food products now available, no attempt has been made to cover every product group, let alone every product conceivable.

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.

The shelf-life of a product is critical in determining both its quality and profitability. This important collection reviews the key factors in determining shelf-life and how it can be measured. Part one examines the factors affecting shelf-life and spoilage, including individual chapters on the major types of food spoilage, the role of moisture and temperature, spoilage yeasts, the Maillard reaction and the factors underlying lipid oxidation. Part two addresses the best ways of measuring the shelf-life of foods, with chapters on modelling food spoilage, measuring and modelling glass transition, detecting spoilage yeasts, measuring lipid oxidation, the design and validation of shelf-life tests and the use of accelerated shelf-life tests. Understanding and measuring the shelf-life of food is an important reference for all those concerned with extending the shelf-life of food. Reviews the key factors in determining shelf-life and how they can be measured Examines the importance of the shelf-life of a product in determining its quality and profitability Brings together the leading international experts in the field

This book presents discussions on a range of topics including food spoilage and safe preservation, packaging, and sensory aspects. It presents traditional and innovative technologies for enhancing food safety and/or increasing shelf-life, and methods for the assessment and prediction of food safety and shelf-life.

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.

The importance of food packaging hardly needs emphasizing since only a handful of foods are sold in an unpackaged state. With an increasing focus on sustainability and cost-effectiveness, responsible companies no longer want to over-package their food products, yet many remain unsure just where reductions can effectively be made. Food Packaging and Shelf Life: A Practical Guide provides package developers with the information they need to specify just the right amount of protective packaging to maintain food quality and maximize shelf life. Current food packaging must take into consideration the biochemical, chemical, physical, and biological changes that occur during processing, distribution, and storage. Organized according to chapters devoted to specific food products, this practical handbook defines the indices of failure for foods as diverse as milk, fruits, bottled water, juices, vegetables, fish, and beef. It discusses the deteriorative reactions for each food and reviews how different packaging materials may influence time to failure and thus shelf life. Other topics included biobased packaging, packaging and the microbial shelf life of foods, and shelf life testing methodology.

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

Complying with food regulations and, more importantly, quality standards, requires practical and reliable methods to estimate a product's shelf life. Emphasizing the importance of the consumer's perception of when food has reached the end of its shelf life, Sensory Shelf Life Estimation of Food Products provides a tool for adequately predicting sen

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