FTI REPORT R-09:

ADVANCES IN SHELF LIFE TECHNOLOGY
FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

A guide to new techniques that help extend product shelf life

Revised & Updated for 2006

Food researchers face numerous challenges when trying to develop a product that retains its quality during its shelf life. Unfortunately, it’s practically impossible to directly control the environments a product experiences once it’s in the distribution channel. Shelf life is determined not only by a food’s chemical nature, but also by the way it has been processed, packaged, distributed and stored.

Products may lose their nutritive value and undergo subtle chemical and physical changes during long-term storage, even if they do not spoil. A major problem that products experience involves fluctuating or inadequate temperatures during their storage.

Adjusting product formulations to obtain the optimum shelf life will always remain a challenge. However, a number of technical advances have emerged in recent years that will help us improve the storage life of products. Food Technology Intelligence, Inc. publishes a report—newly updated and revised—highlighting many of these developments. Advances in Shelf Life Technology for the Food Industry analyzes many shelf life optimization and extension techniques. The report focuses on technologies critical to product development and market success.

With this report, you have an opportunity to learn more about several shelf life optimization techniques that have been developed at universities, companies and government research labs worldwide. These developments will help advance your efforts in this area. Among the techniques and processes analyzed in this report:

• Combining nissin and reduced pH to improve the shelf life of ultrapasteurized liquid whole eggs.

• Oxygen-free packaging that increases shelf life 50%.

• Fungal amylases that extend the shelf life of tortillas.

• Ultralow blanching that increases the firmness of canned vegetables and maintains their shelflife.

Some of these processes are still under development but have commercial potential. Others have completed development and are waiting to be licensed or transferred to industry by collaborating with the developers. Contact information is provided for the key scientists, enabling you to get in touch with the experts with whom you can collaborate on innovation research.

Order Advances in Shelf Life Technology for the Food Industry today and take advantage of the innovations that will help you attain your product goals.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PERSPECTIVE

Challenges abound when maintaining food quality and shelf life
Perishability
Storage environments
Nutritional issues

TREATMENTS, ADDITIVES, ANTIMICROBIAL SYSTEMS

Flash-heat milk to extend its shelf life
Develop novel polysaccharides
Develop biopolymers for packaging applications
Substitute shortening with waxy wheat for skinny bread
Research into milk's inherent antimicrobial system to extend shelf life
Apple browning significantly delayed in tests, shelf life extended
Calcium treatment extends melon shelf life and its markets
Increase storage and shipping time of fruit by threefold
Ready-to-add emulsion extends refrigerated life of prepared salads
Bacterial systems have potential to preserve, optimize meat color
Improving the shelf life of beef
Extend the shelf life of tortillas using fungal amylases
Nisin and reduced pH improve shelf life and safety of ultrapasteurized liquid whole eggs
Hot water treatment extends shelf life of broccoli
Create a high-moisture, shelf-stable grated cheese
Compound accelerates fruit ripening, slows softening after harvest
High-oleic peanut oil extends shelf life of other varieties
Protect fresh-cut produce from chilling injury and double shelf life
Inhibit oxidation using electroreduction technology

PULSED VOLTAGES
Pulsed electric fields preserve horchata beverage
Pulsed voltages reduce microbial levels, extend shelf life

ATMOSPHERES
License oxygen indicator technology
Active packaging, atmosphere control optimize shelf life
Oxygen-free packaging extends shelf life 50%
Carbon dioxide inhibits microbial growth, extends shelf life of milk
Inactivate spoilage enzymes using carbon dioxide
Prepackaging techniques enhance shelf life, safety of MAP products
Modeling MAP of fresh produce
Track carbon dioxide concentrations in MAP systems

IRRADIATION
Irradiation leads to doubling of shelf life in meats

MODELING
Modeling facilitates shelf life packaging
Model time and temperature to monitor fish shelf life
Use neural networks to improve product quality and life

BLANCHING
Ultralow blanching increases canned vegetable firmness, maintains shelf life
Microwave blanching superior in preserving vegetables

COATINGS AND FILMS
Investigate edible films, honey to extend shelf life
Investigate edible coatings from fruit purees
Edible film kills Salmonella on tomatoes, extends firmness and color retention
Wax coatings reduce off-flavors, improve gas exchange in fruits
A fresh way to preserve fruit
Characterizing and optimizing mass transfer properties of edible films
Edible films, coatings from soy protein

ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
Extracts find antimicrobial applications
Vacuum packaging, refrigeration improve storage quality of fresh-cut
green onions
High pressure is alternative to thermal processing of egg-based MREs

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