10. Food Packaging, Storage, Distribution and Shelf Life

Introduction and Context

Food packaging is not merely a container or a means of presentation. It is a controlled technological system that protects food from physical damage, contamination, moisture transfer, oxygen, light, insects, odours and temperature abuse while also communicating essential information to users and regulators. In hospitality operations, packaging decisions influence procurement, receiving, storage, portion control, food safety, waste, transport efficiency, guest experience and operating cost.

The significance of packaging becomes greater as hotels and food-service organisations increasingly purchase semi-processed, chilled, frozen, vacuum-packed, modified-atmosphere and ready-to-eat foods from geographically dispersed suppliers. A product may be microbiologically safe when manufactured yet become unsafe or unacceptable because of poor packaging integrity, improper stacking, temperature fluctuation, condensation, oxygen exposure or extended holding time. Shelf life is therefore not a fixed characteristic of a food alone; it is the result of interactions among formulation, processing, packaging, storage conditions, distribution practices and consumer or operator handling.

For hospitality managers, the central question is not simply which package looks attractive or costs less. It is whether the complete packaging and distribution system can preserve the required quality and safety from the supplier to the point of use. This requires understanding material properties, permeability, migration, labelling, cold-chain management, deterioration kinetics and evidence-based shelf-life validation.

Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, the learner should be able to:

1. Explain the protective, logistical, informational and marketing functions of food packaging.

2. Distinguish among major packaging materials and select them for hospitality applications.

3. Analyse permeability, sorption, seal integrity and migration risks.

4. Relate storage and distribution conditions to food deterioration and shelf life.

5. Apply cold-chain principles to chilled and frozen food procurement.

6. Interpret basic zero-order, first-order and temperature-dependent deterioration models.

7. Design a practical shelf-life study using quality, safety and sensory criteria.

8. Evaluate labelling, traceability, sustainability, technology and regulatory responsibilities.

Packaging as a Food-System Intervention

A package performs several functions simultaneously. Its containment function holds the product and prevents loss. Protection limits mechanical damage and controls transfer of gases, water vapour, light, microorganisms and foreign matter. Convenience may include resealability, portioning, microwave compatibility, easy opening and stackability. Communication includes product identity, ingredients, allergens, net quantity, dates, storage instructions, lot information and preparation directions. Packaging also supports handling and distribution by enabling palletisation, unitisation and inventory control.

These functions can conflict. A highly rigid package may provide protection but increase material use and transport weight. A thin flexible film may reduce packaging mass but have inadequate puncture resistance. A clear package can display product quality while allowing light-driven oxidation. A hermetically sealed package may extend shelf life but create an anaerobic environment in which specific hazards require careful control. Packaging design is therefore a systems decision rather than a single-material decision.

The package is often described through three levels. Primary packaging is in direct contact with food, such as a pouch, bottle, tray or can. Secondary packaging groups primary packs for handling and retail or food-service distribution. Tertiary packaging, including cases, pallets, stretch film and transport containers, supports logistics. Failure at any level may compromise the product: a sound pouch can still be damaged by poor pallet stacking, while an excellent carton cannot compensate for an inadequate primary barrier.

Materials and Packaging Systems

Glass

Glass is chemically inert, impermeable to gases and water vapour, transparent unless coloured, and capable of heat processing. It is suitable for sauces, beverages, preserves and premium products. Its disadvantages include weight, brittleness and energy-intensive transport. Light-sensitive foods may require amber or opaque glass. In hospitality procurement, glass can support premium presentation but demands careful handling and breakage controls.

Metals

Steel and aluminium provide strong mechanical protection and excellent barriers to light, gases and moisture. Cans permit thermal sterilisation and long ambient storage. Aluminium is lightweight and widely used for trays, foils and beverage containers. Internal coatings may be necessary because acidic or salty foods can interact with the metal. Damage to coatings, dents affecting seams, and corrosion are important inspection concerns.

Paper and Paperboard

Paper and paperboard are relatively light, printable and useful for cartons, sleeves, cases and disposable food-service items. Their weakness is sensitivity to water, grease and gases unless coated, laminated or treated. A paperboard carton should not be assumed to provide a high moisture barrier merely because it feels substantial. Its performance depends on fibre structure, coatings, laminates, closures and environmental humidity.

Plastics

Common food-contact plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and polyamide-based structures. They differ substantially in stiffness, heat resistance, transparency, barrier properties and chemical compatibility. Polyethylene often provides moisture resistance and flexibility; polypropylene has useful heat resistance; PET offers strength and clarity; polyamide contributes mechanical strength and oxygen-barrier performance in multilayer structures. No plastic should be treated as universally suitable. Product composition, temperature, contact time and intended use determine suitability.

Flexible and Multilayer Packaging

Flexible packages may combine polymer films, aluminium foil, paper and adhesives. Multilayer structures are designed so that each layer contributes a particular property: sealability, printability, toughness, moisture resistance, oxygen resistance or light protection. Aluminium foil is an excellent barrier when continuous, but pinholes, creases and seal defects can compromise performance. Multilayer systems often improve shelf life but may complicate recycling and material recovery.

Active and Intelligent Packaging

Active packaging interacts deliberately with the product or its environment. Oxygen scavengers, moisture absorbers, antimicrobial systems and carbon-dioxide emitters are examples. Intelligent packaging monitors or communicates conditions through time-temperature indicators, freshness indicators, gas sensors, radio-frequency identification or data loggers. Such systems can support quality management but do not replace validated processing, hygienic handling or temperature control.

Permeability, Migration and Package Integrity

Permeability is the passage of a substance through a packaging material. Oxygen transmission rate and water-vapour transmission rate are particularly important. Oxygen ingress may cause lipid oxidation, pigment fading, nutrient loss and aerobic microbial growth. Water-vapour transfer can produce drying, softening, caking, loss of crispness or freezer burn. Carbon dioxide loss affects carbonated beverages and some modified-atmosphere packs. Aroma transfer can result in either loss of desirable volatiles or absorption of unwanted odours.

Permeability depends on the material, thickness, temperature, relative humidity, concentration gradient and nature of the permeant. In general, higher temperature increases molecular mobility and often increases transmission. A package selected under laboratory conditions may perform differently in a hot loading dock or a humid cold room. Package specifications should therefore be interpreted in relation to actual operating conditions.

Sorption is the absorption or adsorption of food components or environmental chemicals by the package. A fatty food may interact differently with a polymer than an aqueous food. Migration is the transfer of substances from packaging into food. Potential migrants include residual monomers, additives, inks, adhesives, plasticisers, coating components and reaction products. Migration is influenced by contact time, temperature, food composition and the area of package in contact with food.

Migration control requires the use of approved food-contact materials, supplier declarations, appropriate intended-use information and compliance with applicable national regulations. A material suitable for a dry food at room temperature may not be appropriate for hot, fatty or acidic food. Reusing single-use packaging outside its intended conditions can increase risk. Hospitality organisations should retain technical specifications and certificates of conformity for critical food-contact items.

Package integrity includes seal strength, closure performance, resistance to puncture, leak tightness, seam quality and resistance to compression. Integrity testing may involve visual inspection, vacuum or pressure testing, dye penetration, burst testing and measurement of seal strength. Practical receiving checks should identify swollen packs, leaking containers, broken seals, rust, dents near can seams, punctures, frozen packages with excessive ice accumulation and evidence of thawing and refreezing.

Labelling, Traceability and Information Control

Food labels have legal, safety and operational functions. They commonly communicate the product name, ingredient declaration, allergens, net quantity, lot or batch code, date marking, storage conditions, instructions for use, manufacturer or supplier information and nutritional information where required. Hospitality buyers must distinguish between a quality-related best-before indication and a safety-related use-by or expiry control where the applicable regulatory system makes that distinction.

Labels should be legible, durable and consistent with the actual product. Storage instructions such as “keep refrigerated” are meaningful only when the organisation has defined the corresponding temperature range and monitoring procedure. Once a bulk pack is opened, the original date may no longer represent the shelf life of the opened product. Internal labels should record opening date, discard date, responsible employee and relevant storage requirements.

Traceability links a received item to its supplier, lot, storage location, production use and, where necessary, dispatched or served portions. Digital inventory systems can associate barcode or RFID information with receiving records, temperature data and stock rotation. First-expiry-first-out is generally more precise than first-in-first-out when products have different date limits. Effective traceability supports recalls, complaint investigation, waste analysis and supplier evaluation.

Storage and Distribution: Controlling the Environment

Storage is a continuation of preservation, not a passive interval between purchasing and use. Temperature, humidity, light, air movement, stacking, sanitation and time all influence deterioration. Chilled foods require stable refrigeration and sufficient air circulation. Overloading a cold room, placing warm deliveries beside vulnerable products or blocking evaporator airflow can create temperature gradients even when the displayed room temperature appears satisfactory.

Frozen products should remain frozen throughout storage and distribution. Temperature fluctuation promotes ice recrystallisation, which damages cellular structure and reduces texture. Freezer burn is primarily a moisture-transfer defect that produces dry, discoloured areas; it may not necessarily indicate microbial spoilage, but it reduces quality and yield. Packages should be protected from puncture and arranged to permit air circulation.

Dry stores require control of moisture, pests, temperature, light and odours. Hygroscopic products such as powders, cereals and biscuits can absorb moisture and lose flowability or crispness. Relative humidity is therefore as important as air temperature for many dry foods. Chemicals and strongly odorous non-food materials must be segregated from food.

The cold chain includes pre-cooling, refrigerated loading, insulated or mechanically refrigerated transport, receiving, storage, preparation and service. A temperature reading at receiving is useful but not sufficient evidence of continuous control. Time-temperature indicators and data loggers provide a more informative history. Corrective action should be defined before a deviation occurs: quarantine, assessment, acceptance with justification, rapid use, rejection or disposal.

Distribution packaging must also address mechanical stresses. Vibration, impact, compression, puncture and pallet movement may produce microleaks or seal failure that are not immediately visible. Pallet patterns should prevent overhang and excessive compression. Mixed loads require attention to compatibility, odour transfer, temperature requirements and segregation of raw and ready-to-eat foods.

Understanding Shelf Life and Deterioration Kinetics

Shelf life is the period during which a food remains safe and retains specified sensory, chemical, physical and nutritional qualities under defined conditions. It is not identical to the date printed on a package, nor is it necessarily the same for unopened and opened products. Shelf life ends when a selected criterion is reached, such as pathogen growth, unacceptable microbial count, rancidity, colour loss, texture failure, package swelling or sensory rejection.

The principal deterioration pathways include microbial growth, lipid oxidation, enzymatic reactions, non-enzymatic browning, moisture migration, physical separation, nutrient degradation and mechanical damage. The dominant pathway depends on product and environment. For example, a dry biscuit may fail through moisture gain before microbial growth, whereas a chilled ready-to-eat salad may be limited by microbial growth and sensory deterioration.

A simple zero-order model assumes a constant rate of change:

Q = Q₀ − kt

where Q is quality, Q₀ is initial quality, k is the deterioration rate and t is time. A first-order model assumes that the rate depends on the remaining amount of quality-related substance:

ln(Q/Q₀) = −kt

These models are simplifications, but they help compare products and estimate the effect of storage time. The correct model should be selected from experimental data rather than assumed automatically.

Temperature commonly affects reaction rates according to the Arrhenius relationship:

k = A exp(−Ea/RT)

where k is the rate constant, A is a pre-exponential factor, Ea is activation energy, R is the gas constant and T is absolute temperature. The practical implication is that temperature abuse can accelerate deterioration disproportionately. However, accelerated shelf-life testing must be used carefully because high temperatures may activate failure mechanisms that would not dominate under normal storage.

For microbial growth, predictive microbiology may use growth rate, lag time and environmental factors such as temperature, pH, water activity, salt and atmosphere. Packaging can alter the atmosphere and therefore change the microbial ecology. Reduced oxygen may suppress some organisms while favouring others; hence vacuum or modified-atmosphere packaging is a control strategy requiring validated safety assumptions.

Designing a Shelf-Life Study

A defensible shelf-life study begins by defining the product, package, processing history, intended storage conditions, distribution profile and target consumer or operator. The study must identify the likely failure mechanisms and measurable acceptance criteria. These may include total viable count, yeast and mould, specific pathogens where relevant, pH, water activity, peroxide value, colour, texture, package pressure, seal integrity and trained sensory evaluation.

A practical design includes a representative production batch or several batches, the proposed commercial package, normal storage, sampling intervals and sufficient replication. Samples should be tested at the beginning, at planned intervals and beyond the expected endpoint where safe and appropriate. Both unopened and opened-product conditions may be necessary. Temperature-abuse studies can examine the consequences of realistic deviations, but they should not be used to justify uncontrolled handling.

The endpoint should be established before results are examined. A product may remain microbiologically acceptable after sensory rejection, or retain sensory appeal while failing a safety criterion. The assigned shelf life should be based on the most restrictive validated criterion, with an appropriate safety margin. Documentation should include methods, instruments, calibration, deviations, raw data, statistical analysis and final justification.

Hedonic testing with consumers measures liking, while descriptive analysis characterises attributes. Neither should replace safety testing. Sensory panels must be trained for descriptive work, and sample presentation should prevent bias. Statistical analysis may involve regression, analysis of variance, survival analysis or confidence intervals. Where variability among batches is substantial, a single average is inadequate for setting a reliable date.

Hospitality Applications and Managerial Decisions

A hotel purchasing manager should evaluate more than unit price. Total cost includes packaging, freight, refrigeration, storage space, labour, waste, breakage, returns and disposal. A larger pack may reduce packaging per kilogram but increase opened-product waste. Individual portions may cost more but improve hygiene, yield and labour efficiency. Vacuum-packed meat may extend storage life but require strict seal inspection and date control.

Central production kitchens require packaging systems compatible with blast chilling, refrigeration, reheating and service. Containers must tolerate the intended temperature range and avoid deformation or chemical interaction. Portion labels should support allergen control, production-date tracking and regeneration instructions. Catering distribution requires validated time-temperature procedures and protection against physical contamination.

Procurement specifications should state product temperature at dispatch and receipt, acceptable package condition, minimum remaining shelf life, labelling requirements, lot information, transport conditions and rejection criteria. Supplier audits should examine sanitation, packaging controls, calibration, traceability, recall capability and change-management procedures. A packaging change, even when the food formulation remains constant, may require a new shelf-life assessment.

Illustrative Case Study: Chilled Ready-to-Eat Vegetable Portions

Background

A hotel group purchases chilled, ready-to-eat vegetable portions for conference catering. The product is supplied in a multilayer plastic pouch and has a stated refrigerated life of ten days. Kitchens report occasional liquid accumulation, fading colour and a sour odour near the end of the stated period.

Situation and Analysis

An investigation shows that deliveries arrive at acceptable temperatures, but some cases remain on an unrefrigerated receiving dock for two hours during peak periods. The pouches are sometimes stacked tightly against a cold-room wall, restricting airflow. Internal labels record receipt but not opening time. The supplier has recently changed the film structure without communicating the change. Oxygen transmission and seal performance of the new structure have not been compared with the previous package.

The problem is therefore not attributable to one factor. Temperature abuse may accelerate microbial growth, restricted airflow may delay cooling, and altered barrier or seal properties may permit greater oxygen ingress. Opening without relabelling further confuses the effective shelf life.

Approach and Solution

The hotel group establishes a receiving procedure requiring immediate temperature measurement, visual inspection, lot recording and transfer to refrigeration. Cases are placed to permit airflow, and dock time is monitored. The supplier provides the new packaging specification, migration documentation and seal-strength data. A comparative shelf-life study is conducted using the old and new packages under normal refrigeration, with a realistic temperature-abuse condition.

Testing includes microbial indicators, pH, colour, package integrity, liquid accumulation and sensory evaluation. The study also examines opened pouches because catering operations frequently divide the contents. Results show that unopened packs remain acceptable under controlled refrigeration, but opened packs deteriorate substantially faster. The hotel therefore introduces a shorter internal use period after opening, smaller pack sizes for low-volume outlets and a supplier notification requirement for packaging changes.

Outcome

The revised system reduces rejected portions, improves stock rotation and makes responsibility clearer. The stated supplier shelf life is retained only for unopened packs under specified conditions; internal labels communicate the shorter opened-product period. The hotel also uses temperature-log data to review receiving performance rather than relying solely on staff recollection.

Learning Points

Shelf life belongs to a defined system. A change in film, seal, opening practice or distribution temperature can change the valid life. Packaging specifications, operating procedures and shelf-life evidence must therefore be managed together.

Risks, Limitations and Common Errors

Common errors include selecting packaging from appearance alone, treating “recyclable” as equivalent to environmentally preferable, accepting damaged cases because the primary pack appears intact, ignoring temperature history, using expired or incomplete supplier documentation and assuming that a printed date automatically guarantees safety. Another error is applying accelerated testing without confirming that the same deterioration mechanism operates at normal temperature.

Cold-chain systems may fail through equipment breakdown, poor loading, inaccurate thermometers, delayed receiving, inadequate staff training or undocumented corrective action. Digital records can also be misleading if sensors are badly positioned or data are not reviewed. Packaging may reduce risk but cannot correct poor hygiene, unsafe raw materials or inadequate cooking.

Sustainability decisions require life-cycle thinking. Lightweighting, recycled content, reuse, recyclability, food waste prevention and transport efficiency must be considered together. A package that uses less material but causes substantial food waste may not provide the best overall environmental result. Reuse systems require validated cleaning, inspection and reverse logistics.

Technology, Governance and Emerging Developments

Internet-connected sensors, barcode platforms, RFID, warehouse-management systems and electronic certificates can improve traceability and cold-chain visibility. Analytics can identify recurring temperature excursions, suppliers with high rejection rates and products generating disproportionate waste. Machine-learning models may predict remaining shelf life from temperature history and quality data, but predictions are only as reliable as the data, model validation and clearly defined acceptance criteria.

Emerging packaging developments include recyclable mono-material structures, improved bio-based polymers, edible or biodegradable films, freshness indicators, printed sensors and digital product passports. These developments present technical and governance questions concerning barrier performance, migration, end-of-life infrastructure, claims substantiation and consumer interpretation. Organisations should avoid environmental or freshness claims that cannot be verified.

Professional governance includes compliance with food-contact regulations, truthful labelling, allergen communication, recall readiness, supplier accountability, worker safety and protection of consumer interests. Packaging decisions should be documented, reviewed after changes and integrated into the organisation’s HACCP, quality-management and procurement systems.

Best-Practice Framework for Hospitality Operations

A robust packaging and shelf-life programme should:

• define product, package, storage and distribution conditions together;
• use approved materials supported by technical and regulatory documentation;
• specify permeability, seal, strength and temperature requirements;
• inspect packaging and record lot and temperature information at receipt;
• apply FEFO rotation and clear opened-product labelling;
• monitor storage conditions with calibrated devices and review trends;
• validate normal and realistically foreseeable abuse conditions;
• establish safety, quality and sensory endpoints before testing;
• reassess shelf life after formulation, process, package or distribution changes;
• train staff in handling, traceability, corrective action and waste prevention.

Chapter Summary

Food packaging is a functional system that contains, protects, communicates and supports the movement of food through the supply chain. Material selection must consider barrier properties, strength, temperature resistance, food compatibility, migration and end-of-life consequences. Permeability to oxygen, water vapour and aromas can determine product quality, while seal and package integrity are essential to safety and shelf-life performance.

Storage and distribution conditions, especially temperature history, humidity, light, mechanical handling and time, interact with packaging to determine deterioration. Shelf life should be established through a structured study using relevant microbiological, chemical, physical and sensory criteria. Kinetic models and temperature relationships assist interpretation but must be supported by representative evidence. For hospitality organisations, effective practice combines procurement specifications, cold-chain control, labelling, traceability, FEFO rotation, supplier governance and continual review. Digital monitoring and emerging packaging technologies offer valuable tools, but they supplement rather than replace validated food-safety systems.

Key Terms

Permeability: The ability of a substance to pass through a packaging material.

Oxygen transmission rate: The quantity of oxygen passing through a package area over a specified time and condition.

Water-vapour transmission rate: The rate at which water vapour passes through a packaging material.

Migration: Transfer of substances from packaging into food.

Sorption: Absorption or adsorption of food or environmental substances by packaging.

Package integrity: The ability of a package and its closure to remain sealed and protective.

Primary packaging: Packaging in direct contact with the food.

Modified-atmosphere packaging: Packaging in which the gas composition surrounding food is deliberately changed.

Active packaging: Packaging designed to interact with food or its internal environment.

Intelligent packaging: Packaging that monitors or communicates information about product condition.

Cold chain: Continuous temperature-controlled handling from production through use.

Freezer burn: Quality damage caused primarily by moisture loss from frozen food.

Shelf life: The period during which food remains within defined safety and quality limits.

Zero-order kinetics: A deterioration model in which quality changes at a constant rate.

First-order kinetics: A model in which the deterioration rate depends on the remaining quality-related substance.

Arrhenius relationship: A model relating reaction rate to absolute temperature.

FEFO: Stock rotation based on using the earliest-expiring items first.

Traceability: The ability to follow a food or package through specified stages of the supply chain.

Time-temperature indicator: A device that records or signals cumulative exposure to temperature over time.

Review Questions

Short Answer Questions

1. Distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary packaging.

2. What is migration, and which factors influence it?

3. Why is FEFO preferable to simple FIFO for many food products?

4. Define shelf life in relation to safety and quality criteria.

5. State two functions of intelligent packaging.

Long Answer Questions

1. Explain the major food-packaging materials and evaluate their suitability for hospitality applications.

2. Discuss how permeability and package integrity influence food deterioration.

3. Describe the design of a scientifically defensible shelf-life study for a chilled ready-to-eat product.

4. Explain the role of cold-chain management in procurement, storage and distribution.

5. Discuss how packaging changes can affect food safety, quality, sustainability and total operating cost.

Analytical / Application Questions

1. A hotel receives vacuum-packed meat at the correct temperature, but several packs have weak seals and are stored beneath heavy cartons. Analyse the likely risks and propose receiving and storage controls.

2. A dry biscuit becomes soft before its printed date, although microbiological tests are satisfactory. Identify the likely deterioration mechanism and recommend packaging and storage improvements.

3. A supplier replaces a multilayer pouch with a lighter material and claims that shelf life is unchanged. Design the evidence and decision process the hotel should require before accepting the change.

22. Multiple Choice Questions with Answers

Question 1

Which packaging property is most directly associated with limiting oxygen-driven lipid oxidation?

A. High oxygen barrier

B. High printability

C. Low compression strength

D. High water absorption

Correct Answer: A. High oxygen barrier

Question 2

A hotel receives chilled food after a prolonged period on an unrefrigerated loading dock. Which evidence would best support assessment of the deviation?

A. The colour of the outer carton alone

B. A time-temperature record for the shipment

C. The supplier’s advertising material

D. The number of items on the pallet

Correct Answer: B. A time-temperature record for the shipment

Question 3

Why may a package suitable for a dry food be unsuitable for a fatty food?

A. Fatty foods cannot be labelled

B. Fat can alter sorption and migration behaviour

C. Dry foods always require refrigeration

D. Fat prevents package sealing in every case

Correct Answer: B. Fat can alter sorption and migration behaviour

Question 4

Which statement best describes shelf life?

A. A permanent property of the recipe alone

B. The time until a product reaches a defined safety or quality limit under specified conditions

C. The time until the package is opened

D. The period stated by a supplier without regard to storage

Correct Answer: B. The time until a product reaches a defined safety or quality limit under specified conditions

Question 5

A hotel wants to rotate products according to the date that will expire first. Which system is most appropriate?

A. LIFO

B. Random issue

C. FEFO

D. Largest-pack-first

Correct Answer: C. FEFO

Question 6

What is a major risk of temperature fluctuation in frozen foods?

A. Ice recrystallisation and texture damage

B. Automatic sterilisation

C. Improved package flexibility

D. Removal of all moisture migration

Correct Answer: A. Ice recrystallisation and texture damage

Question 7

In a zero-order deterioration model, the quality change is assumed to be:

A. Constant in rate over time

B. Independent of temperature in all circumstances

C. Always exponential in concentration

D. Caused only by microorganisms

Correct Answer: A. Constant in rate over time

Question 8

Why should accelerated shelf-life testing be interpreted cautiously?

A. High temperature can produce a different failure mechanism from normal storage

B. It cannot measure any quality attribute

C. It eliminates the need for packaging specifications

D. It is valid only for metal cans

Correct Answer: A. High temperature can produce a different failure mechanism from normal storage

Question 9

Which action is most appropriate after a supplier changes the film structure of a food pouch?

A. Accept the change automatically because the food recipe is unchanged

B. Verify technical documentation and reassess package performance and shelf life

C. Remove all date labels

D. Store the product at room temperature to test it

Correct Answer: B. Verify technical documentation and reassess package performance and shelf life

Question 10

What is the principal purpose of a time-temperature indicator?

A. To replace hygienic processing

B. To communicate cumulative temperature exposure

C. To increase package strength

D. To identify the food’s ingredients

Correct Answer: B. To communicate cumulative temperature exposure