Why Choose Food Research Lab's FRL as Your Food Product Development (FPD) Consultant and Partner?

There are several options in almost every product area in today’s market, and the difficulty is in coming up with unique items that stand out and connect with customers. Food Research Lab's Food Research Lab (FRL) takes a holistic approach to creating food and beverage products. We define, demographically target, and build effective goods through a sequential process for category selection and comprehension. The client can visit the lab to learn the process. We offer unlimited rounds of revisions to ensure customer satisfaction. The final product prototype, along with the documentation process, including the video (through email), will be shipped to the client, and in case the client is not satisfied with the video, a food technology consultant will visit the place for the product demo at the client’s costs.

What are the different forms that you deliver the Food Product Formulations?

The food industry is witnessing a new form of consumption. Keeping that in mind, we can formulate the products in the form of ready-to-eat, ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix, ready-to-serve, and ready-to-cook food products. We use ingredients that offer an added value to the development and improve its indulgence and sustainability in terms of its functional ingredients, plant-based food dyes, and natural preservatives with a clean label.

What are the sectors Food Research Lab cover?

We cover a wide range of sectors such as soups, sauces and dips, chips, tortillas, dry beverage powder, plant-based products, masalas, puddings, instant mixes and many more.

How is sensory testing been carried out?

Our sensory examination leads to the precise formulation and recipe recommendations. We develop data-driven design models based on sensory research and customer insights. The fact-based design methodology used by Food Research Lab reduces risk and gives our clients market confidence while cutting development time in half. With our dedicated sensory lab facility, our team takes satisfaction in creating and optimizing successful products in the marketplace, generating a favourable return on investment, and developing brand advocates.

Shelf life of sweets: month 1 to month 8 extension

20 Sep

Shelf life of sweets: month 1 to month 8 extension

by Food Research Lab

in food, Sectors

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Background:

A confectionery company specializing in traditional sweets approached us with a challenge. Their products, known for their rich flavor and natural ingredients, had a short shelf life of approximately one month. This limited the company’s ability to expand its market, particularly in regions with longer distribution chains. The company wanted to extend the shelf life of their sweets to at least 8 months while maintaining taste, texture, and nutritional value without using artificial preservatives.

Objective: The primary goal was to extend the shelf life of the sweets from 1 month to 8 months while preserving their sensory qualities, such as taste, texture, color, and appearance. It was crucial to achieve this without adding artificial preservatives or compromising the integrity of the natural ingredients.

Challenges:

Moisture Control: High moisture content in sweets can lead to microbial growth, reducing shelf life. Controlling moisture without impacting texture was essential.
Preservation of Natural Ingredients: The company insisted on maintaining its commitment to using only natural ingredients, making it difficult to apply certain preservation techniques.
Packaging Considerations: Existing packaging was not suitable for long-term preservation. The packaging needed to be redesigned to support extended shelf life without compromising product integrity.

Solution & Formulation by Food Research Lab:

Moisture Reduction:

We implemented methods to reduce the moisture content in the sweets, such as controlled drying techniques and adjusting the water activity (aw) levels during production. This helped in preventing microbial growth while ensuring the sweets maintained their original texture.

Special attention was given to sweets like barfi and ladoo, which have relatively higher moisture content.

Natural Preservation Techniques:

Natural preservatives were incorporated to extend shelf life. These natural antioxidants helped in reducing oxidation and maintaining freshness.

Modifications to the recipe, including the use of debittered fenugreek powder and a small amount of edible gums, enhanced stability.

Packaging Innovation:

We recommended switching to modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), which involved replacing the oxygen inside the packaging with nitrogen or another inert gas. This method is ideal for preventing oxidation and controlling microbial growth.

Multi-layer barrier packaging was also implemented to prevent moisture, light, and oxygen from entering, further extending the shelf life.

Vacuum sealing was introduced for certain sweets that could tolerate it, offering better control over shelf life.

Temperature Control and Storage:

A protocol was developed for cold storage at optimized temperatures, with recommended storage conditions set between 4°C and 8°C for ideal results.

The development of detailed storage instructions for retailers and consumers played a key role in extending shelf-life post-purchase.

Implementation:

After several trials, the extended shelf life was successfully achieved. We conducted stability studies at different time points (1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 8 months) to monitor the product’s sensory and microbiological properties. This included tests for moisture content, microbial growth, taste, texture, and overall product integrity.

Outcome:

The company was able to extend the shelf life of its sweets from 1 month to 8 months with great success. The final products retained their original taste, texture, and nutritional profile while maintaining an extended shelf life. This allowed the company to:

Expand distribution to new regions, including international markets.

Reduce waste from spoiled goods and improve cost-efficiency in their supply chain.

Continue promoting their sweets as natural and preservative-free, appealing to health-conscious consumers.

Conclusion:

By adopting innovative preservation techniques, including natural preservatives, moisture control, and advanced packaging, we were able to help the client achieve their goal of extending the shelf life of their sweets. The results not only enabled market expansion but also reinforced the brand’s commitment to quality and natural ingredients.