Page 65 - FoodFocusThailand No.197 August 2022

STRONG QC & QA

Therefore, the mechanisms responsible for spoilage or loss of
desirable characteristics during storage, including biochemical and
physicochemical reactions should be intensely investigated. To
maintain the quality and safety of all food products, it is important to
precisely evaluate and study the shelf-life of them.

Secondary shelf-life: an overlooked matter
Generally, the shelf-life of food products is specified for the product
in the sealed container or package. Then, how much time does the
shelf-life have after opening the package? Thus, shelf-life assessment
is critical for both sealed and opened food containers. Recently,
shelf-life assessment methodologies are simply categorized into 2
main types as follows:
1) Primary shelf-life or the shelf-life of the food product without
package opening.
2) Secondary shelf-life or shelf-life after the package is opened.
According to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.
376, B.E. 2557), the primary shelf-life of processed and fresh foods
must be clearly labeled on the food packaging. This information is
represented in terms of “best before end: BBE or best before: BB/
BBF” or “use by or expiration: EXP” dates. The best before date is
used to indicate the foods quality, rather than safety. The use by date
on food is a safety for consumption and the most important date which
consumer can eat food until and on the expiration date, but not after.
Shelf-life study relies upon the nature of products such as short
shelf-life, medium shelf-life, and long shelf-life products. Food
producers can send their products for laboratory testing following the
standard laboratory or protocol for shelf-life evaluation. For medium
shelf-life and long shelf-life products, the accelerated shelf-life testing
using kinetic modeling can be applied. This method provides the
precise data within a relatively reasonable period of time that could
effectively reduce the commercialization stage.
When the original or sealed package is opened, the secondary
shelf-life has been forgotten. The secondary shelf-life can be
simply defined as the period after package opening which food
product maintains acceptable physical and chemical quality, safety,
and flavor according to the law. After opening the package, food
characteristics were rapidly altered leading to changes in physical,
chemical, and biological properties. The main reason is the
modification of environmental conditions. What happens after
opening? The primary shelf life of pasteurized fruit juice is 12 months
at room temperature, whereas its secondary shelf-life may be only
7 days under refrigerated condition. From the food safety point of
view, secondary shelf-life should be a critical concern for producers
and consumers. Therefore, the secondary shelf-life of individual
food products should be indicated in labels to guarantee food
safety. The examples of primary and secondary shelf-life of some
food products are presented in Table 1.

More Information Service Info C012

ข้้อมููลเพิ่่�มูเติ่มู / Additional Information
ศููนย์์นวััตกรรมอาหารและบรรจุุภััณฑ์์ มหาวัิทย์าลัย์เชีีย์งใหม่ มีบริการตรวัจุประเมินอาย์ุ
การเก็บรักษาหลากหลาย์รูปแบบไวั้ให้บริการ
Food Innovation and Packaging Center (FIN), Chiang Mai University provides various
types of shelf-life evaluation services.

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