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JP Tropical FoodsQuality SummitOctober 22, 2012
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Reviewing the Principles & Practices that Ensure Shelf
LifeProduct Characteristics that Affect the Shelf Life of Fried
Snack FoodsOilMoistureQ10/ Degradation Factors & Shelf Life
Acceleration
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Processed Food Deterioration
The principal mechanisms involved in the deterioration of
processed foods are as follows:1. Microbiological spoilage
sometimes accompanied by pathogen development.2. Chemical and
enzymatic activity causing lipid breakdown, colour, odour, flavour,
and texture changes.3. Moisture or other water vapour migration
producing changes in texture, water activity and flavour.
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Processed Food DeteriorationThe product formulation and the
processing variables which affect these mechanisms and which can be
used to control deterioration of fried snack foods include: (1)
Moisture content and water activity; (2) FFA & Peroxide Values;
(3) Frying Temperatures & times; (4) Preservatives and
additives; and (6) Packaging.
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Major Factors Affecting Chip Quality & Shelf Life
OILIn the category of fried snack food such as banana chips,
plantain chips and cassava chips, the presence of oil becomes the
key factor for spoilage throughout the shelf life of the product.
During deep fat frying oil is spread over the large surface areas
of the fried chip. This chip surface area is exposed to the oxygen
in the atmosphere and the unsaturated fatty acids in the oil are
prone to oxidative rancidity in the presence of air. These
oxidative rancidity reactions are accelerated by heat (storage
temperatures), moisture (water vapour in the air) and light, as
well as the added salt in the product.
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Guaranteeing Oil Quality During Frying
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Benefits of New Oil ProtocolUtilizes stored oil stock more
efficiently resulting in overall greater frying life of oil.Ensures
that oil being used to fry chip is always fresh vs. treated with
additives.Uses less oil than treated oil protocol per case.If
properly utilized results in lower kilo per case usage and a
lowered oil cost per case.Reduces grease/ oil retention of
chips.Improves chips color.Eliminates oil soaks.
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Drawbacks of New Oil ProtocolDemands that a minimum amount of
product be passed through the standard amounts of oil used for best
cost efficiency.Oil is discarded and not recycled when the oil FFA
approaches 0.1%.Oil is discarded pre-maturely when export items are
produced. This can be rectified with proper scheduling.
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Other Oil Related Improvements Fried batches are drained to
allow excess oil to be recovered back into fryers.Fastback
seasoning to further remove oil.Powered blowers to be introduced to
draining belts to accelerate removal of excess oil.Fast back
distribution belt and oil conveyor belt (proposed) for further oil
removal from chips.
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Major Factors Affecting Chip Quality & Shelf LifeMoisture
ContentOne of the major properties of snacks is the crispness,
which is achieved during the manufacture of the product by one of
the drying methods such as frying, roasting or baking to reduce the
level of moisture content. Retention of desirable texture
(crispness) is directly related to the moisture level in the
product.
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The moisture content of fried snacks is very low, and any
increase due to the hygroscopic nature of the product may lead to
loss of crispness of the product over time. Added moisture also
accelerates other biochemical changes such as oxidative
rancidity.Fried Snack foods are extremely moisture sensitive, and
can easily absorb moisture even at low Relative Humidity
conditions, loss of crispness occurs, rendering the product
unacceptable to the consumers.
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Ensuring Moisture Content ControlImplementing critical control
point at frying Frying temperature protocol has been set at 360 o F
(target) for 4 minutes (minimum).This ensures that the finished
product moisture before flavor addition is < 1% and helps to
ensure a very dry, very crisp, fried product.Ongoing utilization of
fresh oil ensures that the frying protocol is adhered to.Very good
barrier film Polypropylene/ Polyester blend ensure WVTR below 0.005
g / 100 sq. Inch/ day.
Implementing another critical control point at Packaging where
proper seals on the packages are mandatory. Sparging packages with
an inert gas Nitrogen, ensures drier athmosphere in package.
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Major Factors Affecting Chip Quality & Shelf LifeThe Concept
of Q10One of the most frequently asked questions regarding
shelf-life studies has to be: One week storage at 100F equals how
many weeks at room temperature?
The Q10 value is the increase in the rate of the degradation
reaction when the temperature is increased by 10 degrees centigrade
(50 degrees F).
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The Concept of Q10
The Q10 value for fried chips is 2.5.This means for that the
rate of degradation of the fried chips accelerates by 2.5 times for
every 10 o C rise in temperature.Degradation such as rancidity and
crispness are covered under Q10.For semi-perishable foods such as
fried snack foods Q10 has major implications for stockpiling of
finished goods at elevated temperatures over long periods.
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Corrective measures to Mitigate against the Q10 factorEnsuring
proper ventilation in storage areas.Ensuring proper stock turnover
in the first 6 weeks of product shelf life.Provide storage and
handling information for depots and distributors. For example store
away from heat, in a cool, dry area, avoid direct sunlight.
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Date Coding & Consumer Perception of Quality
Manufacture date - helps in stock rotation, doesnt help
customerSell by date helps customer. Better if it is accompanied by
some meaningful distributor and home storage information such as
store in a cool, dry place or store away from home appliances, away
from hot areas and in a cupboard.Best if used by date Gives the
customer most information regarding freshness, but is more
meaningful if information such as store in a cool, dry place or
store away from home appliances, away from hot areas and in a
cupboard. is provided.
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The End
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