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What are Food additives? & 5 Important Components to Food Shelf-life Testing

According to WHO, substances that are added to food to preserve or enhance the freshness, safety, taste, texture, or appearance are called food additives. Some of the common additives include salt, sugar, and sulfur dioxide. Additives ensure the food is in good condition throughout its transportation from factories to shops and buyers. According to the experts of leading food testing labs in Chennai, there are five essential components to food shelf-life testing:

  1. Organoleptic and Appearance

This testing includes checking for color, texture, aroma, packaging, separation, and taste of the food. These are highly important as a buyer makes his choice depending upon all these.



2. Degradation of fats and oils or rancidity

The best Food Shelf-life Testing labs in Chennai use rancidity test to determine the oxidation level in a food sample. When a lipid becomes rancid, its quality degrades, thereby giving a foul smell and stale taste.



3. Microbiology analysis for shelf life

 As the name suggests, this analysis for food shelf life is carried out on a microscopic level to determine the presence of bacteria and other microorganisms. Tamilnadu Test House, one of the top food testing labs in Chennai, recommends the following microbiology testing for shelf life:

●      Aerobic Plate Count

●      Clostridium perfringens

●      Salmonella

●      Lactic Acid Bacteria

●      Alicyclobacillus

●      Staphylococcus aureus

●      Yeast

●      Mold

●      Total Coliforms and E. coli

●      Mesophilic and Thermophilic Spore formers



4. Food packaging

Food packaging with tears or leaks makes way for foreign particles, thereby ruining the shell's life. Proper packaging provides light and moisture protection and keeps the food safe for consumption.

5. Degradation of compounds

According to the experts from the best food Shelf life Testing labs in Chennai, the bioactive compounds in the food must be shelf-stable throughout their life. Also, it should adhere to the label of the date of expiry. Our experienced staff can analyze the presence or absence of bioactive compounds like vitamins, Chondroitin, Glucosamine, Phytosterols, Amino acids, EPA, DHA, Minerals, Sulfites, Caffeine, etc.

 

 

Ref

https://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/determining-product-shelf-life/

https://www.wikihow.life/Determine-the-Shelf-Life-of-Foods

https://www.eurofins.in/food-testing/services/food-shelf-life-testing/

https://www.eurofins.in/food-testing/services/food-shelf-life-testing/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-additives

 

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