Ensuring stability of food products during shelf life is a must for the food industry. Various degradations may occurs in relation to chemical, microbiological or physical changes. This presentation gives an overview of key materials science knowledge required to ensure food stability and how it has been developed and implemented within Nestlé since 30 years. Starting from the impact of the state of the solid materials (amorphous vs. crystalline) and the role of the moisture in term of physical stability. As far amorphous materials are concerned, key physical parameters (Moisture content, water activity and glass transition temperature), challenges to measure them, and their interdependencies will be also presented. Based on these parameters, it will then be shown how to establish moisture content norm in food products, and how it can be used to predict and ensure physical stability over shelf life. Concerning crystalline materials behaviors, a dedicated part of the presentation will their specific properties such as crystallization and deliquescence mechanisms that may occur during process and shelf life, and negatively impact products quality and stability.

Physical stability of solid food products: Development and applications of material science within Nestlé since 30 years

255th National Meeting (2018)

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