A method for estimating shelf-life of packaged ready-to-cook idli batter under normal temperature distribution supply chain

Abstract

Idli is a breakfast food prepared from ready-to-cook (RTC) fermented batter. The shelf-life of batter is dependent on storage temperature varied from ambient to more than 50 °C. Under such circumstance and supply chain distribution conditions, predicting the shelf-life of batter is challenging. In this paper an attempt was made for developing criteria to predict the shelf-life and identify the spoilage of batter with given time-temperature history. Headspace gas, namely, oxygen (O 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration utilized as a degree of fermentation batter at any temperature approximated by non-linear equation ( R 2 0.99). Headspace concentration ratio ( CR ) of O 2 /CO 2 was found to be a function of storage temperature and time expressed using Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov equation ( R 2 0.98). According to the proposed method, the CR of stored batter at varying temperature enables to satisfactorily predict the shelf-life within 6.5% of actual value using storage temperature history measured throughout supply chain distribution. • Developed relationship between headspace gas concentration and packaged batter. • Determined spoilage criteria for batter during temperature distribution supply chain. • Developed methodology to predict shelf life of packaged batter during distribution.