JP Tropical Foods

Quality Summit
October 22, 2012
Reviewing the Principles &
Practices that Ensure Shelf Life
Product Characteristics that Affect the Shelf
Life of Fried Snack Foods
Oil
Moisture
Q10/ Degradation Factors & Shelf Life
Acceleration

Processed Food Deterioration

The principal mechanisms involved in the
deterioration of processed foods are as follows:
1. Microbiological spoilage sometimes
accompanied by pathogen development.
2. Chemical and enzymatic activity causing lipid
breakdown, colour, odour, flavour, and texture
changes.
3. Moisture or other water vapour migration
producing changes in texture, water activity
and flavour.

Processed Food Deterioration
The product formulation and the processing
variables which affect these mechanisms and
which can be used to control deterioration of
fried snack foods include:
(1) Moisture content and water activity;
(2) FFA & Peroxide Values;
(3) Frying Temperatures & times;
(4) Preservatives and additives; and
(6) Packaging.

Major Factors Affecting Chip Quality & Shelf
Life

OIL
In the category of fried snack food such as banana chips,
plantain chips and cassava chips, the presence of oil
becomes the key factor for spoilage throughout the shelf
life of the product.
During deep fat frying oil is spread over the large surface
areas of the fried chip. This chip surface area is exposed to
the oxygen in the atmosphere and the unsaturated fatty
acids in the oil are prone to oxidative rancidity in the
presence of air.
These oxidative rancidity reactions are accelerated by heat
(storage temperatures), moisture (water vapour in the air)
and light, as well as the added salt in the product.

Guaranteeing Oil Quality During Frying
Benefits of New Oil Protocol
Utilizes stored oil stock more efficiently
resulting in overall greater frying life of oil.
Ensures that oil being used to fry chip is always
fresh vs. treated with additives.
Uses less oil than treated oil protocol per case.
If properly utilized results in lower kilo per case
usage and a lowered oil cost per case.
Reduces grease/ oil retention of chips.
Improves chips color.
Eliminates oil soaks.
Drawbacks of New Oil Protocol
Demands that a minimum amount of product
be passed through the standard amounts of
oil used for best cost efficiency.
Oil is discarded and not recycled when the oil
FFA approaches 0.1%.
Oil is discarded pre-maturely when export
items are produced. This can be rectified with
proper scheduling.

Other Oil Related Improvements
Fried batches are drained to allow excess oil to
be recovered back into fryers.
Fastback seasoning to further remove oil.
Powered blowers to be introduced to draining
belts to accelerate removal of excess oil.
Fast back distribution belt and oil conveyor
belt (proposed) for further oil removal from
chips.
Major Factors Affecting Chip Quality
& Shelf Life
Moisture Content
One of the major properties of snacks is the
crispness, which is achieved during the
manufacture of the product by one of the drying
methods such as frying, roasting or baking to
reduce the level of moisture content.
Retention of desirable texture (crispness) is
directly related to the moisture level in the
product.
The moisture content of fried snacks is very
low, and any increase due to the hygroscopic
nature of the product may lead to loss of
crispness of the product over time.
Added moisture also accelerates other
biochemical changes such as oxidative
rancidity.
Fried Snack foods are extremely moisture
sensitive, and can easily absorb moisture even
at low Relative Humidity conditions, loss of
crispness occurs, rendering the product
unacceptable to the consumers.

Ensuring Moisture Content Control
Implementing critical control point at frying Frying
temperature protocol has been set at 360 o F (target) for 4
minutes (minimum).
This ensures that the finished product moisture before flavor
addition is < 1% and helps to ensure a very dry, very crisp,
fried product.
Ongoing utilization of fresh oil ensures that the frying protocol
is adhered to.
Very good barrier film Polypropylene/ Polyester blend
ensure WVTR below 0.005 g / 100 sq. Inch/ day.

Implementing another critical control point at Packaging
where proper seals on the packages are mandatory.

Sparging packages with an inert gas Nitrogen, ensures drier
athmosphere in package.
Major Factors Affecting Chip Quality & Shelf
Life
The Concept of Q10
One of the most frequently asked questions
regarding shelf-life studies has to be: One
week storage at 100F equals how many
weeks at room temperature?

The Q10 value is the increase in the rate of the
degradation reaction when the temperature is
increased by 10 degrees centigrade (50
degrees F).
The Concept of Q10

The Q10 value for fried chips is 2.5.
This means for that the rate of degradation of
the fried chips accelerates by 2.5 times for
every 10 o C rise in temperature.
Degradation such as rancidity and crispness
are covered under Q10.
For semi-perishable foods such as fried snack
foods Q10 has major implications for
stockpiling of finished goods at elevated
temperatures over long periods.

Corrective measures to Mitigate
against the Q10 factor
Ensuring proper ventilation in storage areas.
Ensuring proper stock turnover in the first 6
weeks of product shelf life.
Provide storage and handling information for
depots and distributors. For example store
away from heat, in a cool, dry area, avoid
direct sunlight.
Date Coding & Consumer Perception of Quality

Manufacture date - helps in stock rotation,
doesnt help customer
Sell by date helps customer. Better if it is
accompanied by some meaningful distributor and
home storage information such as store in a
cool, dry place or store away from home
appliances, away from hot areas and in a
cupboard.
Best if used by date Gives the customer most
information regarding freshness, but is more
meaningful if information such as store in a cool,
dry place or store away from home appliances,
away from hot areas and in a cupboard. is
provided.
The End