Principles and Methodologies for the Determination of Shelf–Life in Foods

The establishment of validated methodologies for the determination of food shelf-life is currently demanded by both food industries and Health Authorities at national and international scale. It is well known that most foods are perishable, since they are subjected to modifications in their structure, composition and properties during storage before consumption. These changes are of physico-chemical origin attributed to food composition together with the action of intrinsic and extrinsic environmental factors, and also microbiological, where spoilage flora play an important role. These modifications are “translated into“ sensorial deterioration at a specific time point. In this respect, food-borne bacteria, despite representing a threat for consumers ́ health, do not affect sensorial changes.