ashivembe – Food Insights and Sustainability @NCFM

November 19, 2018

Shelf life – the essential mix of sprint, hurdle and steeplechase strategy for any foods business

The shelf life of products is more of a sprint at times but it can quickly change to a sprint with hurdles at any given point and a long term strategy is essential. The ability to go from steeple chase to hurdles to sprint is an asset to any food company in getting shelf life strategies for the business, the customer, the consumer and the regulator right. This is the balance we strive to get right at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing and have demonstrated large scale heating and cooling innovations in this space. However, there are smaller steps in understanding shelf life that can transform business practice and they are described here.

Consumers are concerned with the length of time a food product can be kept in the home before it can no longer be used safely. Conversely, a retailer is focused on the length of time a product can stay on the shelf in order to maximise product quality and availability of sale. This has resulted in the food industry finding ways of objectively determining exactly how long their food products can reasonably be expected to keep without any appreciable change in quality, safety and marketability. This has proven to be an uphill task as shelf life testing on each individual food product is an expensive process to carry out especially for small medium enterprises (SME’s) in the food sector that have limited resources. Experience has shown that many food start-ups always concentrate on determining their product shelf life without looking into operational processes, be it quality of their ingredients or food safety during preparation, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and storage regimes. Furthermore, a sucessful shelf life test entails sensory, chemical, functional, microbiological and physical characteristics to be retained and are assessed with the ‘End of Shelf Life’ (ESOL) parameters’ (See reference).

It is a requirement under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) that a food manufacturer has their own in-house shelf life testing regime and capability. Tests carried out to determine and measure shelf-life of a product are required to be product specific and take into account the ESOL parameters. This is a major barriers to innovating new food products into the market especially for SME’s in the food manufacturing industry especially when expanding their product lines. That is, how will innovations change my shelf life capabilities?

Project shelf life data; to bridge this gap, most SME’s are able to make use of processes that can project product shelf life in response to operational changes. These measures include accelerated shelf life models and/or models that show how to meet required regulations, fit with the business strategy, adhere to food safety parameters and innovate at the same time. At present, accelerated shelf life models are used as an efficient way of establishing the shelf life of products. This is advantageous as trial periods for determination of shelf life are drastically shortened using these methods by deliberately escalating the rate of deterioration by increasing the storage temperatures. This model uses the ‘Rule of 10’ – known as ‘Q₁₀‘ which is defined as the factor by which the rate of a reaction increases when temperature is raised by 10 degrees (^oC). For example, if a food item has a stability of 20 weeks at 20 ^oC and 10 weeks at 30 ^oC the Q₁₀ will be 20/10 or 2. This means that the rate of reaction being followed is doubled for the 10 ^oC temperature rise. Q₁₀ value can be calculated using the data from tests where a product has been stored at two or more temperatures. It is generally used to establish shelf stability for products that have a long shelf life hence reducing costs of carrying out these tests in real time (See reference).

Can we predict shelf life? Of course yes! However the first step would be set up a shelf life study and identify the main degradation reactions which are expected to occur in the product at typical storage temperatures. This can then be measured and used as an index for quality loss. The food industry uses predictive models to determine product shelf life of products with respect to projections of bacterial growth under defined conditions that are used to calculate the approximate shelf life of a food product. Determination of water activity is an excellent example of such models models used to corroborate the shelf life of many a food product. This has led and encouraged food businesses to innovate and reformulate products easily. It is normally expressed as a_w and is defined as the vapour pressure of water divided by that of pure water at the same temperature, this means pure water will have a water activity of exactly one. Most people confuse this with moisture content which is the total bound water in a product and is not the a_w which refers to free water_.A very good example would be honey, which is fluid in nature and can pour easily, hence it has a high moisture content. It has a long shelf life because the a_w is very low (See Reference).

The two methods (accelerated and projection models) can be further tested and complimented with a challenge test which involves the storage of food products under selected conditions for a period of time that is longer than expected. Assessments under the direct method are normally done at pre-determined intervals to check on ESOL parameters. This method and model is suitable for short shelf life products because it is time bound and inexpensive as most of the tests are done in real time over a short period of time. A combination of the indirect and direct methods can be formulated to establish a broader database – business intelligence for food products- making shelf life determination accessible at a touch of a button. Computer based models which combine elements of microbiology, mathematics and statistics include ERH Calc ^TM, which is a cake expert system for the bakery industry, Seafood Predictor (SSP) and MicroFit just to name a few. Bear in mind that each and every food product has its own specific characteristic, hence in the longer term there is need to carry out a challenge test (See reference).

Technological advances in food safety, ingredient quality and marketability, the food industry is enhancing new ways of prolonging product shelf life. Concentration on improvements in pre and post-harvest technologies is augmenting food safety protocols in terms of improved storage of ingredients and investment in storage facilities and technologies that are assisting in prolonging shelf life of various food products. Some of this include the use of edible coatings and films in fruit and vegetables or use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1MCP) and /or Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) technologies using sustainable inert gases in packaging of ingredients to extend shelf life in food products. Investment in product development, packaging and innovation has massively improved food product shelf life (See Reference).

November 6, 2018

Food Nutritionals- great expectations and declarations

The National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM) is currently working with a number small medium enterprises (SME’s) in the food industry supporting them to incorporate nutritional information in their menu items. Our work has assisted in nutritional calculation and provision of nutrition information including allergen information, Ingredient list, daily intake values and the ‘traffic light.’ Nutrition Facts Information (NFI). Such insight into menus and food offers can improve business outlook and stimulate innovations, examples of these are reported here.

Eating a balanced diet is vital for good health and well-being. Food provides the necessary energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals needed by the body to function well. When food is in abundance in terms of variety, quality and availability, it is the choice the consumer makes that determines the nutritional quality of their diets. What you eat maximises your health, reducing risk of disease including chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer. The escalating incidences of overweight and obesity related health problems has established a global imperative for changing nutrition and dietary patterns (see reference). With this in mind, many food manufacturers, policy makers and stakeholders have made meeting nutritional values a very important consideration when advancing food product development protocols and as a consequence nutritional values are now a mandatory requirement on labels of all food products in the UK and Europe under EU Regulation No. 1169/2011.

Consumer product knowledge is paramount because this has impacted on food product choice. It has been suggested that people who read nutritional information on food labels are likely to attach a higher level of importance to nutrition and influence family preferences. New Product Development and reformulation of existing products has been heavily influenced by consumer trends that have veered towards lowering sugar, salt, carbohydrate and fat in food products. This has challenged the typical view of healthy food and prompted the food industry to quickly adapt and produce food items that are focused on health and nutrition promotion using ingredients that have low calorific values to meet consumer demand (See reference).

Menu development and recipe formulation has become a new frontier where nutritionals are influencing consumer choice. This has encouraged chefs and culinary experts to adapt and start using new cooking techniques and novel ingredients in order to stay relevant and also maintain a competitive edge in their food businesses. Calorie count has become a topical issue with governmental bodies, stakeholders and the food arena at large joining hands in ensuring that all food products offered in the market contain nutrition guidelines that help consumers make informed choices when purchasing food items. Additionally, there has been a link between nutrition information and health with governmental bodies encouraging consumers to maintain the daily recommended intake allowances for both children and adults.

The National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM) is currently working with small medium enterprises (SME’s) in the food industry in trying to encourage them to incorporate nutritional information in their menu items. An appropriate software with a wide database has been developed to assist in nutritional calculation and provision of nutrition information including allergen information, Ingredient list, daily intake values and the ‘traffic light.’ Nutrition Facts Information (NFI) outputs include summaries of the calorie content, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fibre and salt content of foods or dishes. This offers SME’s the ability to optimise and reformulate their recipes and menu items to meet the required levels in terms of fat (9 Kcal per gram), carbohydrates (4 Kcal per gram) and Proteins 4 Kcal per gram) (See reference).

Since the mid twentieth century, concerns have been raised about dietary fat and cholesterol intake as one of the major stand points for changing consumer expectations and the responsibilities of food manufacturers. This is as the result of interaction of a multitude of social, economic and environmental variables compounded by increased serving sizes which are promoted at the expense of nutritionally balanced food choices. This brings into focus the relationship between the restrictive food labelling regulation and consumer protection whilst simultaneously raising awareness and improving knowledge about diet and health (See Reference).

Concerns by consumers about sustainability have impacted food manufacturers to take drastic efforts to address new consumer priorities at a larger scale than simply complying with regulation designed to protect the consumer. Meeting the daily nutritional reference intake has important sustainability outcomes as it improves health, however it has also posed challenges to the consumer which are being mitigated by the food industry through the supply of food products and services that meet consumer expectations (See reference). This has been influenced by the ever changing trends, attitude and behaviours of discerning consumers that has led to development of new technology for food production and information transfer to bridge gaps. In turn food choice has been influenced according to a framework for nutrition facts and nutrition claims use which has been developed and is summarised as below: (See Figure 1)

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework For Nutritional Facts Information And Nutrition Claim Use (Adapted from)

The food industry in the UK has been credited with responding efficiently and effectively to the diverse range of consumer demands across board by aligning the composition and promotion of many products to dietary and nutritional objectives. In retrospect it is important to develop science based recommendations of meal plans to consumers as this is an area gaining prominence at the moment as consumers are using this platform for weight loss purposes or other situational factors such as maintaining a balanced diet or to mitigate health issues. Nutritionals should be an enabler to consumer information, choice and product composition and should be easy to read, understand, easily visible, permanent and not misleading. The food industry as a whole can therefore focus on collaborative work with the research community, consumer groups, competitors, governmental bodies and industry stakeholders to come up with ways and means of applying new technologies with scientific know how about nutrition and labelling parameters. This will ultimately encourage future initiatives which would be consumer based and offer a varied choice of products that would suit the needs of each dietary and nutrition cluster.

October 18, 2018

The rise of Gluten Free – Is it hype, health or lifestyle choice?

The sale of gluten free products has increased globally in the past decade. Until recently, gluten free products went practically unnoticed with the exception of speciality health food stores that were selling gluten free (GF) products. Currently, GF products are now a feature in all major supermarkets, local stores and online shopping. This article considers where trends are going and how NPD will respond to them.

Recent research in the UK has shown a marked increase in the consumption of gluten free products. This has been attributed to the improved diagnosis of coeliac disease which has seen a rise from 24% in 2011 to 30% in 2015 (See Coeliac UK). Furthermore, there has been an increase in people without coeliac disease avoiding products that contain gluten, hence the increase in volume and value of GF products at a rapid rate (See research paper here) . The upturn has been credited to consumption of GF products as part of a healthy lifestyle as opposed to dietary restrictions and has seen retail value sales of GF products on the rise in terms of market value and range of free-from products (see, Figure 1).

Source: Based on IRI/Mintel

Figure 1, UK retail value sales of free-from food and drink with projections, 2012-2022 (See Mintel)

The trends and analysis – health or lifestyle; it is now a trend rather than a fad with more people using and consuming GF products. Health has had a major influence on the GF category with approximately 48% of people consuming the products for general health reasons such as helping with weight loss or because they see GF products as healthier options than standard consumer products (See research paper here),. This rise has prompted various FMCG companies to incorporate GF products in their manufacturing plan so as to ensure they maintain a competitive edge and are able to meet discerning consumer needs.

“Estimated at £718 million in 2017, the UK free-from market more than doubled its size over 2012-17. This was due mainly to an increase in volume sales, driven by a number of factors including media buzz and increased distribution.” (See Mintel)

Young adults between the ages of 20-29 years are expected to seek products that promote wellness, transparency and sustainability. This has contributed to the sharp rise in consumption of GF products by young adults who value nutrition, health benefits and dietary intake. This age group has often shown a preference in pursuing a lifestyle that is mostly moderated and focused on product integrity and sustainability (See research paper here). New products under the GF category have hit the consumer market and investment in food research and product development has drastically increased. GF products have become a mainstream sensation and have been embraced out of necessity and as a personal choice towards achieving a healthy lifestyle. However, the benefits of going GF are still not entirely clear with nutritional concerns being raised due to iron, calcium and fibre deficiencies (See research paper here).

Food product development; in order to mitigate issues concerning the various deficiencies, food manufacturers are now blending more grains such as quinoa and amaranth into the various products to increase the nutrition value in GF products. Additionally, research into new product development at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM) is focused on fortifying GF flours with freeze dried or dehydrated vegetables. We are developing recipes and products that offer personalised dietary needs and meet consumer expectations.

Socials – ‘Media Buzz’; the social media platform has given an increasingly important voice where the ability to communicate developments using interactive perspectives for consumers has had an impact. The growth of software applications (e.g. mobile ‘apps’) has probably enhanced the rapid rise in sales of GF products with those such as ‘Gluten free food checker’ and ‘Gluten free on the move’. These are tested and provide information to consumers on-the-go making their shopping experience easier and much more efficient (See, Coeliac UK).

The regulatory space; the Food Information for Consumer regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 has a role in increasing consumer awareness of ingredients used in producing gluten free products through the prerequisite labelling regulation on food products (See research paper here). Further studies by nutritionists and dietitians will now investigate the underlying reasons for the shift in consumer preference for gluten-free products along with other issues such wider well-being and weight management.

The Nutrition and NPD Innovations series; the whole GF arena is of specific interest to Food Insights and sustainability programmes at NCFM and we are delivering our first Nutrition and NPD Innovations Breakfast seminar on 20th November 2018, it would be great to see you there if you can get there!