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Defining the time domain of fresh |
C. E. SIZER, III, National Center for Food Safety & Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology, IIT Moffett Campus, 6502 S. Archer Rd., Summit-Argo, IL 60501-1923 A processed food product remains “fresh” for the period of time that its original properties remain unimpaired. That is, that it meets the expectation of the consumer for a recently prepared product. With the recent advances in processing technologies, it is possible to extend the period of time that a product would be perceived by the consumer as fresh. In fact, many of the processed foods have been shown to be significantly better than freshly prepared items. Therefore, it should be possible for food manufacturers to define processes, packaging, storage and distribution criteria, nutrient levels and a time domain during which the original properties of a food item remain unimpaired. If these criteria can be established, then the adjective “fresh” should be available to describe the properties of the food. The establishment of regulatory guidance for the use of the “fresh” modifier would hasten the implementation of minimal processes that assure the safety of foods while maintaining the “fresh” characteristics unimpaired.
Session 32, Refreshing the fresh concept
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