Shelf Life Studies of Foods

Shelf Life Studies of Foods

The first label information that is checked on a food on the market shelves is the expiry date. Shelf life, which is important for both the producer and the consumer, indicates the process in which the food should be consumed without endangering human health. Important factors when evaluating the shelf life of food can be listed as follows:

- Safety,
- Physical properties
- Chemical properties
- Sensory properties

With the determination of shelf life, it is aimed to have quality and safe food throughout the storage and consumption period of foods. Shelf Life Studies are important to determine how long a food can maintain the desired flavor and quality under normal production and storage conditions.

Shelf life studies are carried out in two different ways, real-time and accelerated. In real-time stability tests, evaluation is made by keeping the food under recommended storage conditions. In accelerated stability tests, the product is evaluated as a result of storing a product under high stress conditions (such as temperature, humidity and pH).