Evaluation of shelf-life of fruit baby food
Department of Food Preservation, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague,
Technická 5, CZ 160 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
*Correspondence: ales.rajchl@vscht.cz
Abstract:
Fruit baby food is an important food source in infant nutrition. This ambient stable product is processed using heat treatment and can be stored for one or more years at ambient temperature. An accelerated shelf-life storage test of fruit baby food was carried out. Sets of samples were stored at various storage temperatures (40, 55, 70 and 90 °C) for 3 weeks. Selected markers were followed and correlated with sensory evaluation during the storage. The markers were: DPPH, total phenols, ascorbic acid, 5-HMF, furfural and colour (expressed as L, a*, b* and nE). Kinetic data (reaction rate constants, activation energies, Q10, z values) were calculated. The aim of the paper was to evaluate shelf-lives of fruit baby food. The colour parameters, especially nE, seem to be a robust criterion which could be used to predict shelf-lives of fruit baby food.
Key words:
colour, kinetics, modelling., storage experiment