The stability and shelf-life of food The Stability and Shelf-Life of Food edited by David Kilcast and Persis Subramaniam The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to understanding and controlling the factors that determine the shelf-life of food products! Features: Find out how to define, predict, influence and extend the shelf-life of your product Read the latest information about software systems for modelling shelf-life and the advanced instrumental methods of testing it Examine specific examples in case studies that cover product groups including: milk and milk products, sous vide products and fruit and vegetables Consumers now more than ever expect safe, nutritious, attractive products that are convenient to use and low in price. These demands can be met by a comprehensive understanding of the factors that affect the stability and shelf-life of a product coupled with the ability to fully exploit methods of extending it. This new book provides information which will enable food manufacturers to meet and exceed the demands of their consumers. Experts from commercial and academic research institutes provide comprehensive coverage of this key issue. Part 1 of the book covers the definition, analysis and prediction of shelf-life. Specialists in each area provide authoritative information, examining the key role of the glass transition in microbial stability, the use of predictive modelling, sensory evaluation methods, accelerated shelf-life test and the use of advanced instrumental methods to analyse what determines shelf-life. Part 2 of the book focuses upon ways of understanding and extending shelf-life, using specific foods and ingredients as examples. This section opens with an examination of the pivotal role of packaging in the shelf-life of a product, with guidance on selection and an insight into future trends. The case studies which follow look at packaging in each context as well as examining the full range of microbiological, chemical, physical and sensory changes that influence the shelf-life of each product group. From raw material selection and product formulation to the factory environment, processing technologies, storage and distribution, the coverage is truly comprehensive. The specific foods and ingredients covered include fruit and vegetables, milk and milk products, fats and oils, sauces and dressings, sous-vide products and confectionery. This book will enable food manufacturers to: Control costs Maximize the quality of finished products Protect consumers from unnecessary risk The Stability and Shelf-Life of Food is an essential reference for production, product development and quality control managers in food processing and retailing, academic and commercial research institutions, as well as providing a valuable insight into a critical subject for food technology students and lecturers. Contents Introduction What is shelf-life? Factors influencing shelf-life Types of deterioration Measuring shelf-life: direct methods Measuring shelf-life: indirect methods The design of shelf-life experiments Ways of influencing shelf-life The structure of this book Part 1: Analyzing Shelf-Life The glass transition and microbial stability Methods used to predict microbial stability The glass transition approach Current research on the glass transition Modelling shelf-life The development of predictive models Software systems Applying predicitive models to particular foods Future trends Sensory evaluation methods for shelf-life assessment Principles of sensory evaluation Discrimination tests Quantitative descriptive tests Consumer acceptability testing Operation of sensory shelf-life tests The interpretation of sensory shelf-life data Instrumental methods in sensory shelf-life testing Future trends Accelerated shelf-life tests Basic principles The initial rate approach The kinetic model approach Problems in accelerated shelf-life tests Future trends Advanced instrumental methods: the use of H relaxation NMR to monitor starch retrogradation Introduction: starch retrogradation Instrumental methods available for the investigation of retrogradation Advantages of the NMR approach Principles of nuclear magnetic resonance Case study: extruded starch Future trends Part 2: Extending Shelf-Life Predicting packaging characteristics to improve shelf-life The role of packaging in extending shelf-life Integrating packaging and other methods of extending shelf-life The range of packaging options available Predicting packaging characteristics for particular foodstuffs Future trends Sous vide products Factors affecting the shelf-life of sous vide products How shelf-life is measured Extending shelf-life Future trends Milk and milk products Chemical composition and principal reactions of milk Bacteria in milk and related enzyme activity Raw milk enzymes Control of the quality of short shelf-life products Yoghurt and fermented milk Factors influencing the stability of long shelf-life products Control of the stability of long-life milk products Confectionery products Factors affecting shelf-life Chocolate and chocolate products Sugar glass Toffee Gums and jellies Aerated confectionery Fruits and vegetables What determines the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables? How the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables is measured Extending the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables Future trends