Shelf‐life Available to Purchase

This article highlights current research at the Leatherhead Food Research Association which is relevant to shelf‐life assessment of food products. One area is to improve the quality and safety of fish ‐ both fresh and cold‐smoked. Food MicroModel, a computer software package which aids in the prediction of the microbiological safety and spoilage potential of food products, is described. New methods capable of predicting the stability of oils and fats to oxidation, which can be a significant cause of reduced shelf‐life in fat‐containing foods, are described. Novel analytical instruments, known as electronic noses, have been shown to have potential, as has a total antioxidant activity test. Temperature control in factories is often a compromise between product safety and the need to maintain reasonable employee working conditions. This is no longer a problem with the development of glove box technology, which separates the two environments. The final study discussed in this article is the development of accelerated shelf‐life tests for chocolate products.