Background

Defining the exact shelf-life of a shelf-stable food product is still a real challenge for food manufacturers as there are many variables to be considered. Currently, many shelf-life determinations of commercial shelf-stable products are based on trial-and-error methods which could pose risks resulting in brand damage (overestimation) or food waste (underestimation). Because degradation reactions determining shelf-life are really complex, predicting quality changes remains a challenge; consequently, a scientific approach which considers multiple variables is greatly needed. Recent advances in analytical methods (e.g. GC-MS fingerprinting) and data analysis techniques (e.g. multivariate data analysis and kinetic modelling) can play a key role in this context if they are used in (accelerated) shelf-life studies. Moreover, the role of sensory evaluations should not be forgotten as changes in sensorial properties or decreases in consumer acceptance levels as a function of storage time are in most cases the primary reasons for defining the end of shelf-life.

Scope and approach

This review paper focuses on research progresses in this field and addresses future challenges for quality investigation during storage and prediction of shelf-life dates. As proof of concept, the paper focuses on investigating quality changes of pasteurised shelf-stable orange and mango juices during storage.

Key findings and conclusions

In the study of shelf-stable orange and mango juices, the (combined) analytical targeted and untargeted fingerprinting approach proved to be a useful approach for identifying major-quality related chemical changes and was able to select shelf-life markers (i.e. quality parameters with a clearly observable time- (and temperature-) dependent change). In studying the kinetics of change of the monitored quality attributes, it is tempting to think that the fastest reactions will determine the shelf-life of a shelf-stable product. However, consumer acceptance through sensory evaluation plays also an important role in determining the acceptability limit and therefore the best before date. The integrated science-based approach put forward can be used to investigate quality changes of a wide range of shelf-stable products during storage.

中文翻译：

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基于科学的综合方法研究货架稳定食品在存储过程中的质量变化：关于橙汁和芒果汁的概念证明

背景

对于食品制造商来说，定义货架稳定食品的确切货架寿命仍然是一个真正的挑战，因为要考虑许多变量。当前，许多对商品货架稳定产品的货架寿命的确定都是基于反复试验的方法，这可能会造成导致品牌受损（高估）或食品浪费（低估）的风险。由于决定保质期的降解反应确实很复杂，因此预测质量变化仍然是一个挑战。因此，非常需要一种考虑多个变量的科学方法。如果分析方法（例如GC-MS指纹图谱）和数据分析技术（例如多变量数据分析和动力学建模）的最新进展用于（加速）保质期研究，则可以在此方面发挥关键作用。而且，

范围和方法

本文的重点是该领域的研究进展，并针对保存和预测保质期期间质量研究的未来挑战。作为概念验证，本文重点研究了巴氏杀菌的货架稳定橙汁和芒果汁在储存过程中的质量变化。

主要发现和结论

在对货架稳定的橙汁和芒果汁的研究中，（结合的）分析的有针对性和非针对性的指纹图谱方法被证明是识别与主要质量相关的化学变化的有用方法，并且能够选择货架期标记（即质量参数与明显可观察到的时间（和温度）相关的变化）。在研究受监视质量属性的变化动力学时，很容易想到最快的反应将决定稳定产品的保存期限。但是，通过感官评估获得消费者的认可在确定可接受限度方面也起着重要的作用，因此是确定最佳的截止日期。提出的基于科学的综合方法可用于调查各种货架稳定产品在存储过程中的质量变化。