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.

Regulations in Shelf Life Extension of Food Products

Regulatory perspectives on increasing product shelf life

23 Dec

Extending Product Shelf Life: Regulatory Perspective

by Food Research Lab

in Blog, Shelf Life Studies

Comments

Shelf life and its importance in food and beverage products

Consumers nowadays prioritise high food quality, and they have corresponding expectations that the quality of their food will be maintained at a high level between purchase and consumption. Shelf life is a crucial attribute of all food and beverage products, be it ingredients, raw materials or manufactured products. Shelf life is defined as the time required for a food product to remain safe; retain desired sensory, chemical, physical, and microbiological properties; comply with label declaration about a product’s nutritional content; and be acceptable to the consumer. The undesirable characteristics of a product can be determined by indicators such as any off-flavours and odours and changes to its appearance and texture. Factors influencing the shelf life include processing methods, ingredients, packaging, hygiene and storage and distribution.

Factors affecting regulations on shelf life

Determining and including information about shelf life helps consumers to make informed decisions regarding the purchase of products and prevent wastage.

Check out our insight on the importance of shelf life for consumers.

Regulations on shelf life

The regulations for the shelf life of food products differ from one region to another, owing to the differences in food safety standards, processing methods, storage conditions and the use of preservatives. The following focuses on the regulatory guidelines by the Food and Drug Administration:

Regulations

What they Claim

Techniques of shelf-life determination and the duration up to which it can be extended

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the key regulatory authority and plays a crucial role in regulating food safety, including aspects related to the shelf life of food products. However, it’s important to note that the FDA does not directly set shelf life or expiration dates for most food products. Instead, its regulations focus on ensuring that the food sold in the United States is safe, wholesome, and properly labelled.
Products tested for shelf life should be selected from trial production rather than kitchen samples due to the differences in the production methods and environment.
The duration for prolonging the shelf life depends on the processing and storage conditions. Food and beverage manufacturers must provide sound scientific evidence on the safety and quality retention over a prolonged period by conducting stability studies.
According to the FDA, if the manufacturer fails to do so, the product have higher chances of being adulterated and misbranded, significantly increasing the chances of product recall.
It is crucial for manufacturers and distributors to comply with these regulations to ensure the safety and quality of their products.
While the FDA provides guidance, the determination of shelf life is dependent on the discretion of the manufacturer, based on food safety considerations and quality standards.

Food Additives & Preservatives:

Regulation:The FDA approves and regulates the use of food additives and preservatives. These substances must be proven safe for consumption and effectively extend shelf life without compromising food safety or misleading consumers.
Example: Chemical preservatives like sodium benzoate or citric acid must be FDA-approved and used within specified limits.

Food Processing Techniques

Regulation: The FDA oversees processing techniques that impact shelf life, such as pasteurization, sterilization, and irradiation. These methods must ensure the elimination of or reduction in harmful microorganisms.
Example: Pasteurisation of milk and dairy products must meet FDA temperature and time guidelines.

Labeling Requirements

Regulation: The FDA requires accurate labeling of food products. While not mandating the use of expiration dates (except for infant formula), it encourages manufacturers to use date labels (like “Best if Used By”) that are truthful and not misleading.
Example: Date labels on packaged foods should accurately reflect the product’s quality and safety.

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Regulation: The FDA enforces GMP to ensure that foods are produced in a sanitary and quality-controlled environment, which can indirectly affect shelf life.
Example: GMP includes controls on cross-contamination, cleaning of equipment, and proper storage.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

Regulation: FSMA focuses on preventing contamination and ensuring food safety throughout the supply chain, which impacts shelf life.
Example: Preventive controls and safety plans must be in place for processing facilities.

Packaging

Regulation: The FDA regulates food contact substances and packaging materials to ensure they don’t compromise food safety or shelf life.
Example: Use of certain plastics or coatings in packaging must be FDA-compliant.

Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labelling

Regulation: The FDA requires that nutrition information and supplement facts be accurate up to the product’s expiration date.
Example: Nutritional content must remain consistent with labeling throughout the shelf life.

Food Additives and Preservatives:

Sodium benzoate at 0.5% concentration by volume is among the most common preservatives used for jams, fruit juices and pickles. It can extend a product’s shelf life for up to two years.
Citric acid is another preservative that can extend the shelf life of fruits and fried food products. In fruits, citric acid increased the shelf life by 2 days when stored in ambient conditions. Recently, citric acid has also been incorporated into films for retaining the sensory qualities and extending shelf life.
Sorbates are also used to preserve fruits and dough. Potassium sorbate can extend the shelf life of dough for up to 14 days.

Processing methods:

Various methods have been tested to increase shelf life of food products. Chilling and freezing can extend the shelf life by six months.

Packaging methods:

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) can increase the shelf life of gluten-free pasta from 14 to 42 days.
Other methods to extend shelf life include active and intelligent packaging, which can be used for various products like dairy, fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.

✓ Check out our blog to know more about active and intelligent packaging for cheese products.

Conclusion

Shelf life is a critical component of quality assurance in food and beverage products which ensures safety, nutritional content, and sensory characteristics. Shelf life is among the factors which influence consumers’ purchasing decisions. The regulations for shelf life testing of the products differ based on processing methods, storage conditions and the use of preservatives. One can notice variations among the regions, from the FDA’s rigorous scientific evidence to the EFSA’s emphasis on safety and quality distinctions in ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates. FSANZ’s meticulous guidelines in Australia and New Zealand, alongside Japan’s innovative adaptation for online sales, showcase the evolving nature of these standards. As global discussions establish harmonized benchmarks, regular reviews and adaptation are critical to staying in line with ever-changing international regulations and guaranteeing consumer trust and safety.

How Food Research Lab(FRL) Global Contract R&D can help

Food Research Lab(FRL) offers B2B solutions in product development and shelf stability studies for food, beverages, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, herbal and animal food products. We comprise a team of food scientists and technologists who aid in conducting shelf-life testing of the various ingredients used to formulate the products. We adopt industry-best practices from evaluating factors (storage conditions, packaging materials, product composition, handling and distribution) influencing shelf life from formulation to packaging. Our team of experts employ various methods such as accelerated shelf-life testing, challenge testing, real-time shelf life, and iterative or predictive methodology based on the product, urgency, and accuracy in the evaluation. Our team conducts rigorous testing under various conditions, ensuring accuracy in shelf-life analysis. We leverage advanced methodologies to increase marketability and minimize risks. Moreover, our approach fosters innovation and enables clients to launch products with an extended shelf life, complying with food safety standards set by authorities like the FSSAI, USFDA or EFSA. Finally, we assist with product labelling, including “best before”, “use by”, or “sell dates”, based on study findings.

To know more about the types of products with extended shelf life we have formulated, check out our case studies.