ADVANCES IN SHELF LIFE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY : A guide to new techniques that help extend product shelf life.

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. has published a new report 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 company's efforts in this area. Among the techniques and processes analyzed in this report:

A calcium treatment that extends the shelf life of melons.

A way to control tomato hormone levels to optimize their life expectancy.

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 contact 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.

CONTENTS PERSPECTIVE Challenges abound when maintaining food quality and shelf life Perishability Storage environments Nutritional issues TREATMENTS, ADDITIVES, ANTIMICROBIAL SYSTEMS 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 Antimicrobial peptides find agri-food use Ready-to-add emulsion extends refrigerated life of prepared salads Use natural antimicrobial systems to extend shelf life Bacterial systems have potential to preserve, optimize meat color Improving the shelf life of beef Extend the shelf life of tortillas using fungal amylases Controlling hormone levels optimizes tomato taste, life expectancy 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 Age-related changes offer insight into manufacturing's impact on 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 3. PULSED VOLTAGES Pulsed voltages reduce microbial levels, extend shelf life 4. ATMOSPHERES Active packaging, atmosphere control optimize shelf life Controlled atmosphere packaging keeps cut-honeydew melon fresh longer 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 5. IRRADIATION Irradiation leads to doubling of shelf life in meats 6. MODELING Modeling facilitates shelf life packaging Predicting shelf life of fish and meat Model time and temperature to monitor fish shelf life Use neural networks to improve product quality and life 7. BLANCHING Ultralow blanching increaseses canned vegetable firmness, maintains shelf life Microwave blanching superior in preserving vegetables 8. COATINGS AND FILMS Investigate edible coatings from fruit purees Coating foods to prolong shelf life 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