Help on shelf-life validation for a frozen-down cookie
Hello everyone, I'm after a bit of advice on a new process we potentially have in our bakery.
We are looking to make a cookie for a customer and then freeze it down for them. They want shelf life to be two years on this frozen product. We currently don't have any freezer validation as far as I can tell. So I'm just after a bit of advice on how to tackle this.
This may be a good start
http://cdn2.hubspot....iendlyFlyer.pdf
Seems to depend on the water activity of your dough, which will depend on your ingredients
https://www.fooddive...e-dough/506108/
https://onlinelibrar....1111/jfq.12151
I am not sure about the UK regs, however, I know frozen products that have two dates...........one BB for product kept frozen and another for #days once defrosted.............just make sure the font is big enough or separate enough so they are not confused with one another
A large accredited lab would be the best place to go for technical assistance. If 2 years is what you want, you'll also want to freeze as quickly as possible to keep the ice particles as small as you can, as they grow they "cut" whatever they touch and that creates a problem with QUALITY which won't help you achieve 2 years of shelf
Also, you need to ensure you've chosen 4mil liners for the cartons and not 2 mil...........you won't get enough of an oxygen barrier from the thinner liner..................
I realize these aren't micro responses (as requested) my apologies
Hello everyone, I'm after a bit of advice on a new process we potentially have in our bakery.
We are looking to make a cookie for a customer and then freeze it down for them. They want shelf life to be two years on this frozen product. We currently don't have any freezer validation as far as I can tell. So I'm just after a bit of advice on how to tackle this.
Further to this. The customer is suggesting, when the product is defrosted, they may want to add additional life, and almost start at production date zero and then add a BBD? If that makes sense?The cookie, is a current, standard recipe that has shelf-life for its current, low risk ambient status. There would be no change to the current formulation.I would therefore welcome any comments from a micro validation view point.Thanks.
I assume by freeze you mean store frozen, eg -18degC.
The micro. validation with respect to frozen should be rather trivial. >>> Zero growth, some possible die-off. Documented many textbooks
So if OK going into the freezer + suitably rapid cooling/freezing + no subsequent risk of cross-contamination / growth, should be OK to the finish.
The frozen storage shelf life will then depend on any "CP" quality driven issues.
And, offhand, probably same "calculation" after you defrost, possibly depend on how you plan to store it (ambient/chilled/?).
PS - I imagine yr current ambient shelf-life is analogously quality driven, = 2 years ? (I guess not ?)
This may be a good start
http://cdn2.hubspot....iendlyFlyer.pdf
Seems to depend on the water activity of your dough, which will depend on your ingredients
https://www.fooddive...e-dough/506108/
https://onlinelibrar....1111/jfq.12151
I am not sure about the UK regs, however, I know frozen products that have two dates...........one BB for product kept frozen and another for #days once defrosted.............just make sure the font is big enough or separate enough so they are not confused with one another
A large accredited lab would be the best place to go for technical assistance. If 2 years is what you want, you'll also want to freeze as quickly as possible to keep the ice particles as small as you can, as they grow they "cut" whatever they touch and that creates a problem with QUALITY which won't help you achieve 2 years of shelf
Also, you need to ensure you've chosen 4mil liners for the cartons and not 2 mil...........you won't get enough of an oxygen barrier from the thinner liner..................
I realize these aren't micro responses (as requested) my apologies
Thanks Scampi, I'll have a read of this stuff