WHAT IS THE SHELF-LIFE OF FRESH PASTA

The term SHELF-LIFE indicates the commercial duration, ie the period of time in which the food product maintains the characteristics of taste, color, smell / aroma, consistency, nutritional value, and hygienic safety health.

Commercial life starts from the moment the food is produced and depends on many factors, such as the production process, the type of packaging, storage conditions and ingredients.

The shelf-life of a product is normally indicated on a food label either as a date “to be consumed preferably within” or “to be used within“.
A label indicating “to be consumed preferably within…” indicates the period of time a food can reasonably maintain its best quality, such as taste.
Examples of foods that have “to be consumed preferably within” include canned, dried, and frozen foods.
As a result, these foods may present a risk of food poisoning if consumed after the date of use.

Examples of foods that have dates “to be consumed within” include cold dairy products, cooked meat and ready salads, including the DRY PASTA that can be produced with STATIC DRYERS.

How is the shelf-life determined?

The shelf-life of foods and its importance for consumers.
It is the responsibility of food producers to determine the commercial life and to label their products accordingly. This includes the storage conditions required to achieve that commercial life, such as “keep refrigerated when open”.

The shelf-life is typically determined during the development of a food.
Initially, the producer determines the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of the food that influence his safety and / or quality.
These characteristics include the ingredients used, the production process, the type of packaging, for example vacuum packaging or modified atmosphere used to extend the commercial life of the product and the storage conditions in which the product will be sold.
Where necessary, the manufacturer can also conduct other studies such as sampling and microbiological analysis.
The determination of the shelf-life is an integral part of the “food safety management systems” of the producers.

1. As part of regular reviews of these systems, the manufacturer validates the commercial life. This is especially important when changing products, production sites or production machinery.
What are the legal characteristics of shelf life?
The shelf-life of foods and its importance for consumers.
The key European legislation related to commercial life is Directive 2000/13 / EC on labeling, presentation and advertising of food, Regulation 1169/2011 on food information for consumers and Regulation 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foods.

2. Directive 2000/13 / EC refers to the shelf life as the minimum duration date and defines this as the date by which the food maintains its specific properties when it is properly stored.

2.1 This legislation differentiates between dates to be consumed preferably within or to be consumed within and underlines some products exempt from labeling on commercial life such as wine, cooking salt and vinegar.

2.2 Regulation 1169/2011 will replace Directive 2000/13 / EC in December 2014 and establishes that information such as the minimum duration date or date to be used within should be provided in a clear, legible and indelible format on the product packaging.

2.3 For frozen meat, unprocessed meat preparations and fishery products, the Regulation also requires an indication of the freezing date or the first freezing date in cases where the product has been frozen more than once, for example when large pieces of meat / fish are cut into small portions for sale.
According to the Regulations, once the date to be consumed within is passed, the food is considered insecure for consumption.

3. Regulation 2073/2005 lowers the criteria for the specific combinations of micro-organisms and foods, for example Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and obliges companies to conduct studies, as necessary, to ensure that these criteria do not exceed the commercial life food.

4. What is the practical relevance of shelf life for consumers?
The purpose of shelf-life is to help consumers make safe and informed use of food.
The commercial life of food should be considered valid only if the product is bought intact and not damaged.
Consumers should always follow manufacturers’ storage instructions, especially the temperature and use of the product after opening.
It is also recommended that consumers consider shelf-life information when buying food to avoid unnecessary food waste.

5. For example, unlike foods with dates to be used within, many foods with dates to be used preferably within will be safe to eat even if the date has passed.

Source: Food Executive