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How to measure and analyse the texture of food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and adhesives.

Tuesday 24 April 2018

The Effect of Storage on Food Texture

Full pantry cupboard
The effect of storage on the textural properties of foodstuffs is very diverse and varies with the product type and storage conditions.

Shelf-life studies are often used to test the emulsion stability of salad dressing and the staling properties of baked goods, as well as the integrity of packaging films, to cite a few examples. For some products, such as meat, controlled storage has a beneficial (tenderising) effect. For others, such as fruit that is picked mature but unripe, storage develops proper (softer) texture followed by its deterioration.

For still others, storage is always detrimental, but the rate of deterioration varies from very rapid (e.g. bread) to very slow (e.g. butter). With ripened cheeses, storage is part of processing that develops proper flavour and texture.