Shelf life Extension

For the participant

• A complete framework ("three clocks") to diagnose any shelf-life problem quickly.

• Hands-on experience with pre-aged samples: you measure staling during the course itself.

• A clear enzyme decision tree you can apply directly in your own formulations.

• A ready-to-use shelf-life test plan for your own product.

For the company

• A potential longer shelf life with less product waste and fewer returns.

• A road to fewer customer complaints due to dry, firm or mouldy products.

• Better-informed choices between enzymes, emulsifiers and preservatives, often with clean-label and cost advantages.

• Faster, more reliable shelf-life validation of new products.

• By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify which deterioration mechanism (texture, microbiology or chemistry) limits the shelf life of a given product.

  2. Explain the mechanism of staling: starch gelatinisation, amylose and amylopectin retrogradation, and moisture migration from crumb to crust.

  3. Measure staling with crumb firmness and sensory evaluation, and interpret the results over time.

  4. Select and dose anti-staling enzymes (fungal and maltogenic amylases, intermediate-thermostable amylases, lipases, xylanases), and recognise the risks of overdosing, such as gummy crumb.

  5. Combine enzymes with emulsifiers, hydrocolloids and humectants into an effective anti-staling strategy for bread and cake.

  6. Control microbial spoilage using water activity, pH, preservatives and clean-label alternatives, packaging and MAP.

  7. Prevent moisture migration and oxidation in crisp and composite products, for example with aw matching of fillings.

  8. Design a shelf-life test protocol for their own product, and distinguish model predictions from trial results.

For R&D, NPD, application and QA professionals. Max. 8 participants.

€ 2.200,-- per person, this includes the costs for the course, practice materials, lunch on all course related days.

• 4 days; Monday – Friday 8.30 CET- 17.00/17.30 CET
• Bakery Academy Application Centre, Het Aanleg 18d, NL-9951 SJ Winsum – The Netherlands