Nut Filled Medjools Half Dipped in Luxury Belgian Milk Chocolate

SHELF LIFE TESTING STUDY

PRODUCT NAME

Nut Filled Medjools Half Dipped in Luxury Belgian Milk Chocolate

PRODUCT FOOD SAFETY RISK LEVEL

Low (Ambient Stable Product)

PRIMARY IMAGE

STUDY DATE INCEPTION

10/01/2024

STUDY LEAD

Adeel Iqbal

Sensory Attributes Being Tested

TEXTURE

• Smoothness

• Consistency

• Firmness

• Softness

TASTE

• Loss of taste

• Bitterness

• Oversweetness

• Loss of taste characteristic profile

ODOUR

• Minimal aroma ranging to rotting or alcoholic smell

• Pathogenic smell

APPEARANCE

• Skin loss

• Discolouration

• Residues on surface

• Visible pathogens

• Change from original specification

• Loss of volume

KEY

5 =

Excellent quality retained

4 =

good but not as perfect as at harvest

3 =

acceptable but not meeting standards being aimed for

2 =

Poor quality, not able to process or sell

1 =

Unsafe and unacceptable

Time after opening original packaging

1 month

2 months

4 months

6 months

8 months

10 months

12 months

Appearance

5

5

5

5

5

4

4

Odour

5

5

5

5

5

4

4

Taste

5

5

5

5

5

4

3

Texture

5

5

5

5

5

4

3

Notes

Shelf Life Validation and Verification

UKAS Accredited Laboratory Analysis

We work with external experts to help determine the shelf life of our products by using the latest shelf life testing methods and technology. The UKAS accredited labs we use are accredited to the international standard for quality management (ISO 17025). This helps ensure we have a high quality method to determine accurate shelf life testing to facilitate compliance with statutory requirements.

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Our shelf life analyses, helps us define accurate dates for our products, ensuring that the quality remains acceptable and safe for consumers.

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During this process we analyse our products for:

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• Food-borne micro-organisms such as Listeria, Salmonella, E-Coli, Yeasts and Moulds, Staphylococcus Aureus, Bacillus Cereus, Lactic Acid Bacteria

• Total viable count

• Enterobacteriaceae

• Moisture content

• Acidity levels

• pH

• Water activity

• Fat rancidity

Verification of Activities

Record of discussion with Intertek Laboratory Testing Services.

Consultation with:

Katarzyna Bednarczyk Intertek Food Microbiology and Shelf Life Analysis Specialist

And

Patricia Cotterill

Intertek Shelf-Life Analysis Specialist

Agenda:

To obtain advice and carry out analysis accordingly for shelf life testing for dates for The Date Company London

Discussion outcome:

The specification of the product was provided to the Intertek along with details of the chain of the product and the retail activities, packaging and storage.

It was deemed that the most robust scientific process to obtain an accurate shelf life is to perform testing on a sample of dates at monthly intervals for the first 3 months of the shelf-life study.

After this point further tests are carried out at the 6-month, 9-month and 12-month points.

The tests decided upon that are required are as follows:

• TVC

• Entero

• E-Coli

• Listeria

• Salmonella

• Staph. Aureus

To Proceed:

A study has been started to conduct a shelf life analysis on a batch of chocolate coated dates to analyse product at the following monthly intervals: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12. The tests performed will be TVC, entero, E-Coli, Listeria, Salmonella, S. Aureus.

UKAS Report(s)

Final Shelf Life Value

Best Before End: 6 Months