Abstract

Three techniques to prevent moisture transfer in a multidomain food system constituted by a cookie in contact with a moist filling were investigated: reducing the water activity difference between components, reducing the effective moisture diffusivity of the cereal-based component, and applying an edible moisture barrier at the interface between components. Shelf-life of the food product was extended by 6 days by decreasing the water activity of the moist filling in contact from 0.99 to 0.64 (cookie aw being 0.23, 20°C). Decreasing effective moisture diffusivity from 1.56 to 0.99*10^-11 m²/s by the addition of 2.35 g of fat in the formulation of the cookie was limited by technological and organoleptic considerations and allowed an extension of shelf-life of 2 more days. From a technical and nutritional point of view, the application of a sprayed edible barrier at the surface of the cookie was the more effective solution increasing shelf life of almost 8 days for only 1.7 g of fat per cookie.

Submitted: November 19, 2007 · Accepted: April 24, 2008 · Published: May 26, 2008

Recommended Citation

Roca, Elisabeth; Adeline, Dorothée; Guillard, Valérie; Guilbert, Stéphane; and Gontard, Nathalie (2008) "Shelf Life and Moisture Transfer Predictions in a Composite Food Product: Impact of Preservation Techniques," International Journal of Food Engineering: Vol. 4 : Iss. 4, Article 4.
DOI: 10.2202/1556-3758.1336
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/ijfe/vol4/iss4/art4