Shelf life of food product is the major fact that indicates the total quality of food. In summation, it helps to see whether this product produced hygienically safe. Microbiological tests (Total Plate Count), hygienic tests (Fecal Coliforms, total Coliforms) and chemical tests (varied with the product characteristics) are borne out to ascertain the fourth dimension which can keep food for safe consumption under specific circumstance.
This safe storage time is differed with simple facts. Characters of raw material and food ingredient, processing type and methods, environmental condition during processing and storing and packing material. Except those, there could be traceable reasons which effect to the food quality. Changing of microbiological and chemical characteristics could lead to the spoilage of foods. Changing the appearance of food, quantity of nutrition’s, accumulation of toxic compounds and growth of harmful microorganisms are the results of shelf life expired food products.
Most of manufacturers are carrying out these shelf life tests with the aid of microbiological and chemical laboratories to determine the expiry time. Literature review, data from past researches will be helpful to the above procedure. It is a well systematic process which take many days (some time many years) according to the characteristic of food. But this operation is a compulsory if manufacturer really needs to commercialize them. Some advanced food standards, highly recommended not to stop shelf life test even though they have completed the shelf life time. They have identified this test as continues process, since there are some possibilities which could be affect to the shelf life during processing time (years). Environmental factors, process changes, raw material or ingredient changes, packing material changes or storing condition changes are some example for this recommendation.
But unfortunately, some food manufacturers do not highly concern about this process. They gather literature similar to their product and use shelf life as they descried. Manufacturers who do not seek those documented evidence, they refer same product in the market and use their average shelf life time. This is very bad situation happening right now in Sri Lanka food processing field. We can emphasis that, this cheap methodology is not 100% correct since the processing and materials are really dissimilar from each other facilities. If unable to determine correct shelf life time, the food is not any safer for use. Consumer’s life is in danger, when they have it.
People should weigh this fact and they should bear more responsibility towards providing safe food products to the market and the local government should have proper rules to monitor those important facts in manufacturing plants.