In the era of sustainability, rising ingredient and energy prices, and climate-driven food poverty, reducing waste by extending shelf life is more imperative than ever.
To address these multi-faceted pressures, Campden BRI has launched a new e-book, Maximising Shelf Life, in which its experts share valuable insights on how the combination of packaging and processes needs to be optimised to reduce waste and increase the shelf life while maintaining consumer confidence without compromising product safety or quality.
Studies by climate-action NGO WRAP from the last decade suggested that approximately 50 percent of consumer food waste can be prevented simply by extending the shelf life of products. The World Health Organisation puts this into context. Global reversal of food waste could save enough spoiled food to feed two billion people worldwide.
Microbial profiling, super-chilling, heat pasteurisation and modified atmosphere packaging are just a few of the preservation techniques that food and beverage processors can adopt. Yet, with so many different quality, waste, sensory, taste and production factors to consider, uncovering the best and most sustainable option to extend the shelf life of individual fresh, frozen, ambient and bottled brands can feel like an endurance test.
Given the volume of interconnecting factors, Campden BRI's Maximising Shelf Life e-book explains step-by-step the approach food and beverage processors need to consider for any shelf-life extension project, including how its scientific processing and packaging experts can assist with uncovering, validating, reviewing, proving and implementing a shelf life strategy aligned to individual product applications that meet HACCP and country-specific food safety legislation.
The e-book also features several proven case studies, including verifying the effect of ingredient age of raw produce and how this alters the microbiological characteristics of Coleslaw, impacting shelf life, demonstrating how super chilling prawns helped Lyons Seafoods boost product shelf life while simultaneously reducing water and electricity consumption by 20 percent, and proving to Innocent Drinks the microbiological stability achieved by High-Pressure Processing vegetable juices.
For FMCG brands switching to more sustainable packaging, such as composite materials or plant-based formulations, to minimise environmental impact, these risks must also be carefully weighed up.
Recyclability is only a tiny element of the packaging waste and circular economy landscape. Rigorous independent tests can help measure the performance concerning shelf life and ensure compliance with food contact materials regulations in place to safeguard consumer health.
Despite every best ethical intention, processors must look beyond the smoke and mirrors of 'sustainable packaging'. For instance, if the packaging material allows gases, moisture, light and microbial contaminants, it inevitably shortens shelf life, leading to higher food waste and the squandering of valuable resources, resulting in a far bigger carbon footprint.
Although packaging suppliers typically perform their tests, the responsibility rests with manufacturers to ensure that each packaging substrate is the right one for the food and beverage type and storage conditions and protects against contamination.
Many tests determine whether the packaging is fit for purpose. Campden BRI advocates testing packaging over every product's shelf life. The rationale, explained by Linda Everis, is threefold. To mitigate the transfer of constituents, ensure pack and seal integrity are maintained, and test barrier properties from microorganisms.
"Given the number of new materials entering the market, many with little historical data, testing the material in conjunction with the product to ensure they are compatible with its shelf-life is vital," said Everis.
When working with or investigating a new material, shelf-life studies should be performed on the packaging and product.
Campaigns to aggressively reduce food waste by extending shelf life can, if not correctly validated, lead to deeper food safety issues. To reduce food and beverage waste's environmental and social costs, Campden BRI advises processors embarking on any shelf life project to always deploy sound scientific principles.
Despite a large amount of historical shelf life test data, independent tests for each product application will always be the most robust methodology as it balances all the suitable formulation, manufacturing, distribution, packaging and storage factors.
