Shelf Life Evaluation/Prediction of a High Fat/Sugar and a Low Fat/Sugar Ready to Eat Breakfast Cereal in Standard Packaging and Various Size Airtight Plastic Containers using the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) Model

Abstract

Packaging is an important component for storage and extension of shelf life of a food product. The objective of this study was to evaluate/predict the shelf life of a high fat/sugar (A) and a low fat/sugar (B) RTE breakfast cereal in standard packaging and various size polypropylene airtight plastic containers. Moisture sorption isotherms of the two cereals were determined at 10, 23, and 38°C over a humidity range of 11-98.2% using accelerated shelf life testing. Both cereals exhibited a Type II moisture sorption isotherm. GAB model provided good fits for both cereals (with R2>0.9524, %RMS<10.2039, E<8.0890, and RMSE<0.0318). Moisture content and water activity of the cereals decreased as temperature increased. Water activity, breaking strength, and sensory results determined that the critical moisture content was 5.5% and 6.5% for cereal A and B, respectively. Water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) increased as size of the container increased (0.0375 and 0.0407 g/pkg.-day for 4 quart and standard packaging, respectively at 23°C). Using the critical moisture content and WVTR the polypropylene containers extended the shelf life of both breakfast cereals (A and B), 156 and 59 days and 236 and 89 days in 4 quart and standard packaging, respectively, at 23°C (80% RH)