Shelf Life (PDF)

Shelf life, a term recognised in EU/UK food legislation, may be
defined as the period of time for which a food product will remain
safe and fit for use, provided that it is kept in defined storage
conditions. During this period, the product should retain its
desired sensory, chemical, physical, functional and microbiological
characteristics, as well as accurately comply with any nutritional
information printed on the label. Shelf life
therefore refers to a number of different aspects; each food
product has a microbiological shelf life, a chemical shelf life,
and a sensory (or organoleptic) shelf life. These categories
reflect the different ways in which a food product will deteriorate
over time. Ultimately the shelf life of a food product is intended
to reflect the overall effect of these different aspects.

Shelf life has always been an important facet of industrial food
preparation and production, as food and drink are often produced in
one area and then distributed to other areas for retailing and
consumption. Globalised distribution and supply chains make it
imperative that food should survive the transit between producer
and consumer as a perishable commodity, food carries a high
risk of spoilage. As such, a realistic, workable and reproducible
shelf life has to be determined every time a new food product is
developed and marketed; shelf life determination of food has become
an integral part of food safety, quality assurance, product
development, marketing, and consumer behaviour.

Dominic Man s Shelf Life, now in a revised and updated
second edition, encompasses the core considerations about shelf
life. Section 1 introduces shelf life, describes its relationship
to food safety, and provides answers to the frequently asked
questions around shelf life determination and testing which are a
manager s chief concerns. Section 2 covers the science of the
various ways in which food deteriorates and spoils, including the
physical, chemical and microbiological changes. Section 3 looks at
shelf life in practice, using case studies of different products to
illustrate how shelf life may be determined in real life settings.
This book will be invaluable to both practitioners and students in
need of a succinct and comprehensive overview of shelf life
concerns and topics.