Food storage research – Food Sector

Storage tests of a food product make it possible to determine or confirm the expiry date of the product intended for consumption, or to determine its minimum durability.

According to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 of November 15, 2005 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 of December 19, 2006, a product is released for sale if it meets certain microbiological limits, as well as physicochemical and sensory parameters.

At the same time, in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) No 1169/2011 of 25 October 2011, the manufacturer is required to provide the date of minimum durability, the use-by date and the date of freezing (for a frozen product)

The determinants of product durability include:

- - in the microbiological criterion – purity,
  - in the physicochemical criterion – water content, pH, oxidation, hydrolysis,
  - in the organoleptic criterion – taste, smell, color.

The FoodSector Laboratory offers you to carry out storage tests that allow you to assess the extent and direction of changes taking place in food products in three variants:

1. 1. 1. 1. Storage tests with a panel of physicochemical tests:
        
        allow you to determine changes in the product over time,
        
        they enable the identification of ingredients, the method of packaging, the type of technology used, which should be changed to extend the shelf-life.
      2. Normative storage test::
        
        in accordance with the requirements described in the specifications and standards (temperature, relative air humidity, access to light),
        
        mainly dedicated to products with a low degree of processing and a short shelf life.
      3. Accelerated storage research:
        
        with the effect on the food product with increased temperature and humidity.
        
        allow for faster determination of the end date of the product’s shelf life. In order to maintain the safety and quality of the product at the end of the actual storage, this period requires confirmation with conducted tests under standard conditions.