How LONG Does Food Last?

General Principles

Michelle Lloyd, PhD

Manager, Food Technology Research Center
Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science
Brigham Young University
14 April 2012

What defines shelf-life?

What is Food Science?

Product Development
Processing

Is it
edible?

Preservation and
Storage

Is it
nutritious?

Sensory
y

Nutritional

FOOD SCIENCE

Quality Assurance

Toxicological

Food Analysis and

Sensory Evaluation
Food Regulations

Is it safe?

Vitamin Stability
Nutrient

Neutral Acid Alkaline

Air or
Light Heat
oxygen

Maximum
cooking
loss

Vitamin A

40

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

100

Vitamin B12

10

Vitamin D

40

Folate

100

Niacin

75

Vitamin B6

40

Riboflavin

75

Thiamin

80

Vitamin E (tocopherols)

55

Caution: These conclusions are

oversimplifications and may not accurately
represent stability under all circumstances.

Source: Fennemas Food Chemistry, 4th Edition, p 442;

Adapted from Harris, RS (1971). General discussion on
the stability of nutrients, in Nutritional Evaluation of
Food Processing

Vitamin Loss

Vitamin C Loss in
Green Beans
Fresh:
58% lost
within 3
days
Frozen:
15-20%
loss

Canned:
15-20%
loss

SOURCE: Institute of Food Technologists

SOURCE: Dr. Barbara P. Klein, University of Illinois.

See http://www.affi.com/index.asp?bid=114 and
http://nutrican.fshn.uiuc.edu/summary.html

What affects shelf-life of food?

Composition

Enzymes

Composition

Preservation
Techniques

Storage
Conditions

Water

Minerals

Fat

Vitamins

Protein
Carbohy
drate

Preservation Techniques
Drying

Canning

Freezing

Irradiation

High
Pressure
Processing

Preservatives

Irradiation Extends Shelf-Life

15 days
of
storage

Treated by Irradiation

Etc.
Source: Food Irradiation: A Technique for Preserving and Improving the Quality of Food. WHO.
1988, page 36

Preservatives
Ingredients added to food to extend its shelf-life
Example: calcium propionate
Found in Swiss cheese
Prevents mold g
growth in bread

Storage Conditions

Humidity

Air (Oxygen)

Light

Temperature (Heat)

SOURCE: Oscar A. Pike, Storing Fats and Oils, Ensign, June 1999, 71

Effect of Air (Oxygen)

Effect of Humidity

Nutrient Loss
Thiamin

-71%
-21%
-70%
-80%

Riboflavin
Vitamin A
Lysine

Problem:
Oxygen reacts with food
Vitamin loss
Off-colors
Off-flavors
Allows bugs to survive

Solution:
Stored
~26 yrs

Fresh
~3% moisture

>5% moisture

From BYU Masters Research of Michelle Lloyd, 2003

Effect of Light

Use an oxygen
absorber packet to
remove oxygen to
extend shelf-life

Effects of Temperature (Heat)

Speeds up

reactions
Faded-colors
Vitamin loss
Off-flavors
Figure 173 Dehydrated nitrogen-packed tomato samples
after 30 months storage at 40F, 70F, and 100F.
From BYU Masters Thesis of Amy Norseth, 1986

Effects of Temperature
Bread made from ~20 year old wheat
Hot, Humid
storage

Cool, dry
storage

BYU Research
on
L
Long-term
t
Storage
St

Collecting Samples

Collecting Samples

LDS Church News,

29 Dec 2001, 10

Foods Tested at BYU

Basement Temperature
Temperature of Orem, UT Basement Feb 2002-Jan 2003
75.0

Degrees Fahrenh
heit

70.0

65.0

60.0

55.0

50.0
Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

From BYU Masters Research of Michelle Lloyd, 2003

What defines shelf-life?

Is it
edible?

(from residential locations)

Nonfat Dry Milk

Oatmeal
Instant Potatoes
Rice
Dried Apples
All-Purpose
All
Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Powdered Eggs
Macaroni
Pinto Beans
Wheat
Cornmeal
Margarine Powder
Split Peas
Dehydrated Carrots

Is it Edible?

Is it
nutritious?

Sensory
y

Nutritional

Toxicological

Dehydrated apple slices

stored up to 30 yrs
Dehydrated potatoes stored up to 30 yrs

Is it safe?

From BYU Food Storage Research, 2003

Overall acceptability of
powdered milk

Mark whether or not you

would drink each sample
in an emergency situation
SOURCE: Lloyd MA, Zou J, Ogden LV, Pike OA. 2004. Sensory and Nutritional Quality of
Nonfat Dry Milk in Long-term Residential Storage. J Food Sci 69(8):S326-31.

Overall acceptability (h
hedonic score)

Is it Edible?
9

Instant NFDM

ab
bc

b bcd
ed

efg
fg

ed
fg fg

g
f

High O2
cde

ef

ab

bc

de

de de de

cde def

fg

gh
h

3
2
1
<1A <1B 4

10 12 14 17 19 21A 21B 22 23 26 28 29A 29B

Sample number (age in years)

Is it Nutritious?
In general, the
vitamins we
have measured
in properly
stored foods are
fairly stable
over time.
Thiamin
Riboflavin

<1A<1B 4

9 10 12 14 17 19 21A21B 22 23 26 28 29A29B

Sample number (age in years)

SOURCE: Lloyd MA, Zou J, Ogden LV, Pike OA. 2004. Sensory
and Nutritional Quality of Nonfat Dry Milk in Long-term
Residential Storage. J Food Sci 69(8):S326-31.

Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Is it Safe?

Vitamin C stores well in dry form

From BYU Food Storage Research, 2004

Wheat (bread) Overall Acceptability

Wheat Overall Acceptability vs Age

Performed Ames Test for mutagenicity

Tested rice stored long-term

Conclusions
The results of this study suggest
that rice held in accelerated and
long-term storage does not
increase in mutagenic compounds.

9
8

Hedonice Score (9 poin

nt scale)

Ribofla
avin (g/g)

bcd bc b

bcd
ef

Regular NFDM

Instant NFDM

bc
cd

bc

Is it Nutritious?
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Regular NFDM

7
6
5
4

Shelf-life = 32+ years

3
2
1

Pahulu HF et al. 2007. Change in mutagenicity in white rice after

accelerated and long-term storage . J Food Sci. 72 (2): C126-C131

10

12

14 16

18

20 22 24

26

28

30

32

34

Age (years)

Rice Overall Acceptability

Pinto Beans Overall Acceptability

Rice Overall Acceptability vs Age

Pinto Beans Overall Acceptance vs Age
9
9

Hedonic score (9 pointt scale)

Hedonic score (9 point scale)

7
6
5
4

Shelf-life = 32+ years

7
6
5
4
3
2

10

15

20

25

30

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

35

Age (years)

Age (years)

Nonfat Dry Milk Overall Acceptability

(to drink)

"Life Sustaining" Shelf-Life

Food

Hedonic Score (9 point sscale)

NFDM Overall Acceptability vs age

9

Wheat

White rice

Cornmeal

Pinto beans

Rolled oats

Pasta

Potato flakes

New "Life Sustaining" ShelfLife Estimates (In Years)

30+
30

Apple slices

Non-fat powdered milk

1
0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

Age (years)

Dehydrated carrots

20

http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7798-1-4224-1,00.html

Shelf-life summary
Days--Weeks
Days
Weeks::
Fresh Produce
1-2 years:
Cooking Oil, Flour (regular
package), Frozen Foods

Recommendations

Several years:
Wet Canned Foods, Yeast
15--30 years (#10 Cans): Powdered Milk, Oats,
15
Instant Potatoes, Dried Apples, Macaroni Pasta,
Pinto Beans
30+ years (#10 Cans): Wheat, White Rice
No known limit (if kept dry): Granulated Sugar, Salt, Baking
Soda/Powder

Storage Conditions

Humidity

Air (Oxygen)

Light

Temperature (Heat)

Store it
properly

SOURCE: Oscar A. Pike, Storing Fats and Oils, Ensign, June 1999, 71

Make sure cans are sealed properly

when using a #10 can sealer

Good Seam

Keep the Bugs Out!

Loose Seam

Notice how the loose seam is

thicker than the good seam.

For best quality, rotate your storage

For More Information

BYU Food Storage Research: http://ndfs.byu.edu/

New Dehydrated Corn vs. 20 Year Old Corn

Corroded Cans