Pastry-making product shelf life calculation

Hello everybody

I am planning an study to work out the shelf life ( safety & quality ) of a pastry-making product.
It is a cake ( no cream on it) which is packed under controlled atmosphere. I do not have further information about it because it is a new product.

I wonder what laboratory tests ( physical, chemical and/or microbiological ) will be the most appropriate for this kind of product.

If somebody is familiar with this kind of product or have experience with it I will appreciate your advice on what is done nowadays in companies.

Regards
Esther

Hi Esther

I know you said you didn't have further information but perhaps you could answer these questions?

• Will it be refrigerated or ambient shelf life?
• Will there be egg or butter or other dairy within the formulation?
• Do you have similar products already standing?
• Is it soft cake like a sponge cake or harder like a friand or cookie ("cake" has many meanings to many manufacturers)
• Will the main ingredient be biscuit crumb or similar?
• Will there be much sugar and other such preserved ingredients?
• What's the general size, density, etc of the product?
• Ran out of questions

One food manufacturer I work with have truffle logs, truffle balls and friand cookies that are ambient and last around six months.

Hi Esther

I know you said you didn't have further information but perhaps you could answer these questions?

• Will it be refrigerated or ambient shelf life?
• Will there be egg or butter or other dairy within the formulation?
• Do you have similar products already standing?
• Is it soft cake like a sponge cake or harder like a friand or cookie ("cake" has many meanings to many manufacturers)
• Will the main ingredient be biscuit crumb or similar?
• Will there be much sugar and other such preserved ingredients?
• What's the general size, density, etc of the product?
• Ran out of questions

One food manufacturer I work with have truffle logs, truffle balls and friand cookies that are ambient and last around six months.

Dear JAKMQA

Thank you very much for your answer.

Sorry, I took some of your questions for granted: it will be stored at ambient temperatures, no cream on it but pasterized egg, butter, sugar and flour ( no additives); so I suposse that the result will be a kind of sponge cake. I made myself all those questions but I do not have further information.


It was to be a kind of home make cake with no additives but with a long shelf life.

Just to have some orientation on this, could you tell me what kind of protective atmosphere ( which gases and in what porcentage ) is using the manufacturer you have been working wit; and what microbiology is he concern about on his product.

Best regards
Esther

Hi Esther, I'm not a baker but have been reviewing hazards associated with baking processes. I found the following review quite useful in my research:

Smith, J. P., Daifas D. P., El-Khoury W. E., Koukoutsis J., El-Khoury A. (2004). Shelf Life and Safety Concerns of Bakery Products – a Review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2005, 44:19-55.


In terms of micro hazards, I would have thought that the main concerns with raw ingredients would be the possibility of Salmonella in flour and eggs, which would be killed by the baking process anyway.

Good luck!

In response to your queries on the manufacturer I work with:

• No major protective atmosphere (don't know percentage) ; products are flow wrapped
• Products have lots of sugar and other such edible crystalline carbohydrates
• Products are harder like a friand or cookie
• All of their suppliers are certified in food safety / HACCP
• All high risk ingredients (flour, egg, etc) are supplied with COA’s at each receival of product
• Micro and shelf life testing is: standard plate count, yeasts, moulds, b. cereus
• There is no contact with food: protective clothing in gloves, arm nets, aprons, beard and hair nets

To check out further information on bacteria and which ones should be tested for your processes:

• http://www.fda.gov/default.htm

• http://www.cdc.gov/n...ases/index.html

I've also attached some recommendations on micro and chemical testing

• Water content, water activity...

In response to your queries on the manufacturer I work with:

• No major protective atmosphere (don't know percentage) ; products are flow wrapped
• Products have lots of sugar and other such edible crystalline carbohydrates
• Products are harder like a friand or cookie
• All of their suppliers are certified in food safety / HACCP
• All high risk ingredients (flour, egg, etc) are supplied with COA’s at each receival of product
• Micro and shelf life testing is: standard plate count, yeasts, moulds, b. cereus
• There is no contact with food: protective clothing in gloves, arm nets, aprons, beard and hair nets

To check out further information on bacteria and which ones should be tested for your processes:

• http://www.fda.gov/default.htm

• http://www.cdc.gov/n...ases/index.html

I've also attached some recommendations on micro and chemical testing

• Water content, water activity...

Hello both Duncan and JAKMQA

Thank you for your replies.

Jakmga, I do not knot what you mean by " no major protective atmosphere" ¿ could you be more specific?
About the microbiological I was glad to see " B. cereus" as one of their concern. I considered it also. I wonder why clostridium botulinum is not there, maybe because one of the gases is oxigen?

Again, thank for your answer linked to experience and for the links.

Best regards
EStehr

B. cereus is tested because it is a nasty bacteria that doesn't die when cooked.

Clostridium botulinum is not a pathogen that is currently under surveillance in Australia.

• http://www.ozfoodnet...-surveillance-1
• http://www.health.go...da-cdi3304c.htm

I'll have to get back to you on the packaging / atmosphere / percentage / gases query when I next visit the food manufacturer to give you a clearer response.

For modified packed bakery products you will need to use the following gases:

For Retails Packs (Trayselaed and thermoformed packages, flow wraps etc) - 50% carbon dioxide and 50% nitrogen gas mixture

For Bulk Packs (Bag in box) - 70% carbon dioxide and 30% Nitrogen.

i hope this helps.

Regards

Ajay

B. cereus is tested because it is a nasty bacteria that doesn't die when cooked.

Clostridium botulinum is not a pathogen that is currently under surveillance in Australia.

• http://www.ozfoodnet...-surveillance-1
• http://www.health.go...da-cdi3304c.htm

I'll have to get back to you on the packaging / atmosphere / percentage / gases query when I next visit the food manufacturer to give you a clearer response.

Hello JAKMQA

Thank you very much for your reply and your interest. I will follow-up this issue waiting for your further information.

I guess that when you say " Cl. Botulinum is not under surveillance en Australia" you mean in modified atmosphere products, doesn´t it? I suppose that it has to be of concern in canned products otherwise I will be very surprise.

Just one thing: yesterday I had the opportunity of watching a program regarding " the way of life in Melbourne" on TV. I fell in love with it, english language, driving on the left side, multicultures,.....what memories of when I was living in England. You must be proud of the quality of life you have there.

For modified packed bakery products you will need to use the following gases:

For Retails Packs (Trayselaed and thermoformed packages, flow wraps etc) - 50% carbon dioxide and 50% nitrogen gas mixture

For Bulk Packs (Bag in box) - 70% carbon dioxide and 30% Nitrogen.

i hope this helps.

Regards

Ajay

HEllo Ajay


Thank you for your answer, very useful.

I am just curious: why that different concentration for retail packs and for bulk packs?

Also a curious questions has come into y mind: can that mix of gases on that concentrations prevent the bloom of clostridium botulinum spores?

Regards
Esther

For modified packed bakery products you will need to use the following gases:

For Retails Packs (Trayselaed and thermoformed packages, flow wraps etc) - 50% carbon dioxide and 50% nitrogen gas mixture

For Bulk Packs (Bag in box) - 70% carbon dioxide and 30% Nitrogen.

i hope this helps.

Regards

Ajay

Hello everybody

Thank you so much for your useful answers.

Sorry abour the delay.

Best regards
Esther