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Shelf-stable food
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<h2 id="packaging">Packaging</h2> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Aseptic_processing/EBTruTLQ">Aseptic processing</a></p> <p>Package <a href="/facts/Sterilization_(microbiology)/ajVXFl7a">sterility</a> and seal integrity are vital for commercially packaged shelf-stable food products. With flexible packaging (plastic films, foils, laminates, etc), the choice of materials and process conditions are an important decision for <a href="/facts/Packaging_engineer/DymPErIU">packaging engineers</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>All aspects of food production, package filling and sealing must be tightly controlled and meet regulatory requirements. Uniformity, sterility and other requirements are needed to maintain <a href="/facts/Good_manufacturing_practice/s4sETf1y">good manufacturing practices</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>Product safety management is vital. A complete <a href="/facts/Quality_management_system/bX3AHq7C">quality management system</a> must be in place. <a href="/facts/Verification_and_validation/hgqysrzb">Verification and validation</a> involves collecting documentary evidence of all aspects of compliance. Quality assurance extends beyond the packaging operations through distribution. </p> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <h3>Canning and bottling</h3> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Canning/3v7LsDuY">Canning</a></p> <p class="note">See also: <a href="/facts/Home_canning/Dq3RDRlP">Home canning</a></p> <p>Commercial <a href="/facts/Canning/3v7LsDuY">canning</a> involves cooking food and sealing it in sterilized <a href="/facts/Tin_can/Mfopo4tz">tin cans</a>. Home canning (or <i>bottling</i>) uses glass jars, such as <a href="/facts/Kilner_jar/ddxgxw3p">Kilner jars</a> or <a href="/facts/Mason_jar/wmgjDbN1">Mason jars</a>, and <a href="/facts/Boiling/BHxWzT2k">boiling</a> the containers to sterilize the contents. </p> <h3>Retort pouch</h3> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Retort_pouch/XsGCBEns">Retort pouch</a></p> <p>Retort pouches involve heat processing the food in sterilized heat-stable flexible packages. This is used for <a href="/facts/Camping_food/46aMoN7E">camping food</a> and military <a href="/facts/Field_ration/aUfN2bb2">field rations</a>. </p> <h3>Ranch dressing</h3> <p>The first shelf-stable formulation of <a href="/facts/Ranch_dressing/4yHQEuCX">ranch dressing</a>, created in 1983, had a shelf life of 150 days.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h3>Milk products</h3> <p><a href="/facts/Pasteurized_milk/LnpM2tK1">Pasteurized milk</a> in <a href="/facts/Aseptic_processing/EBTruTLQ">aseptically processed</a> cartons (such as <a href="/facts/Tetra_Brik/fzA88moC">Tetra Brik</a>) is shelf-stable without refrigeration. </p> <h3>Fruit juice</h3> <p>Fruit juice can be processed with proper pasteurization to allow shelf-stable options.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Food portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_dried_foods/4DoLkxef">List of dried foods</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Meal%2c_Ready-to-Eat/AG7mLVSa">Meal, Ready-to-Eat</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Retort_pouch/XsGCBEns">Retort pouch</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Hurdle_technology/1mmEJmG1">Hurdle technology</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Harris, Gardiner (August 21, 2008). "Irradiation: A safe measure for safer iceberg lettuce and spinach". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2009. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/health/policy/22spinach.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/health/policy/22spinach.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Leth, Torben (2012). "Denmark's trans fat law". tfX: The campaign against trans fat in foods. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011. <a href="https://archive.today/20120917154619/http://www.tfx.org.uk/page116.html" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20120917154619/http://www.tfx.org.uk/page116.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Mokowena, K K (2012). "Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol: A Review of Barrier Properties for Packaging Shelf Stable Foods". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 52 (7): 640–650. doi:10.1080/10408398.2010.504903. PMID 22530715. S2CID 28396532. Retrieved June 21, 2018. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224834485" target="_blank">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224834485</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Koutchma, Tatiana; Song, Yoonseok; Setikaite, Ilona; Juliano, Pablo; Barbosa-Cánovas, Gustavo V.; Dunne, C. Patrick; Patazca, Eduardo (2010). "Packaging Evaluation for High-Pressure High-Temperature Sterilization of Shelf-Stable Foods". Journal of Food Process Engineering. 33 (6): 1097–1114. doi:10.1111/j.1745-4530.2008.00328.x. Archived from the original on 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2024-01-13. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240113143024/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4530.2008.00328.x" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240113143024/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4530.2008.00328.x</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>US4729926A, Koteles, "Packaging material for long-term storage of shelf stable food products and method of making same", published 1988 Archived 2024-09-04 at the Wayback Machine <a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US4729926A/en" target="_blank">https://patents.google.com/patent/US4729926A/en</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Main Components of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)." Scilife Blog, n.d. Accessed April 18, 2025. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Koerner, Brendan I. (August 5, 2005). "America's love-affair with ranch dressing". Slate Magazine. Archived from the original on September 15, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2009. <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2123991/" target="_blank">http://www.slate.com/id/2123991/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Silva, F V M (2004). "Target Selection in Designing Pasteurization Processes for Shelf-Stable High-Acid Fruit Products". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 40 (5): 353–360. doi:10.1080/10408690490489251. PMID 15540648. S2CID 33963439. Retrieved June 14, 2018. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51371453" target="_blank">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51371453</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>