THE KINETICS OF SHELF LIFE TESTING
The prediction of shelf life for food products is based on the application of the principles of temperature dependent chemical reaction kinetics. These reaction rates, as Figure 1 depicts, depend on product composition as well as environmental factors, i.e., temperature, humidity, atmosphere, etc. Basic to any predictive use of reaction kinetics is that the relationship between the measurable changing reaction parameter and time be linear. Labuza3 has reported that quality loss follows the equation dQ/dt=k(QA)n
where dQ/dt is the change in the measurable quality factor A, with time, k is the rate constant in appropriate units, and n is the order of the chemical reaction of the quality factor. The order of reaction for most quality attributes in food products is either zero, first or second In zero order reactions, the rate of loss of the quality factor constant or linearand the resulting curve will be linear
and the resulting curve will be linear on a linear plot. First order reactions are not linear but are dependent on the amount of the quality factor that remains in the sample at the time. In these types of reactions, a linear prediction curve is constructed using semilogarithmic coordinates Typical first order reactions are: (1) rancidity, (2) microbial growth and death, (3) microbial production products, (4) vitamin losses in dried foods, and (5) loss of protein quality The loss of vitamin C in liquid preparations has been called a second order reaction because it is dependent on the level of both the ascorbic acid and oxygen. Reciprocal plots are linear for these reactions.