| aw (water activity) |
he growth and metabolism of micro-organisms in food
depends on the presence of water in an available
form. aw gives a measure of water availability. Microbial
stability of many foods is achieved by removing available
water (e.g. by drying, or addition of salt, sugar
etc.) to reduce the aw.
|
| Bulk |
refers to master packs or packs
for catering or further processing or any large gas
flushed pack containing retail packs.
|
| Controlled Atmosphere Packaging CAP |
bulk packaging system used for primal cuts of raw
red meats. CAP - Controlled Atmosphere Packaging, not
to be confused with controlled atmosphere storage,
is a system that uses hermetically sealed gas-impermeable
packaging materials. The pre-determined pack atmosphere
is supported by employing active packaging in the form
of 02 generators/C02 absorbers.
|
| CBDF System |
Refers to the Cryovac® BDF
barrier shrink film MAP system. Perishable food products
are placed in a semi-rigid tray and then gas flushed
and hermetically sealed within BDF film pouches on
a HFFS machine. The MA packs are then passed through
a hot air tunnel which causes the seals to heat shrink
down to the underside of the pack. |
| Chilled foods |
Perishable foods which must be
stored at refrigerated temperatures to ensure they
remain safe and wholesome within their shelf-life. |
| Contamination |
The accidental or deliberate adulteration
of a food product or ingredient by the introduction
of undesirable microorganisms, toxins, chemicals or
foreign matter of any sort. |
| Controlled atmosphere storage |
The storage of food in an atmosphere
that is different from the normal composition of air.
The atmospheric components are precisely adjusted to
specific concentrations throughout the storage and
distribution of perishable foods. Controlled atmospheres
are used in the warehouse storage of whole fruit and
vegetables and the road or sea-freight container transport
of perishable foods. |
| Disinfection |
The reduction of microorganisms by means of heat,
chemical and/or physical methods to a level that
is consistent with good hygienic practice and food
safety.
|
| Enzymic browning or discolouration |
Browning of cut or damaged fruit
and vegetables caused by oxidation of polyphenols.
The enzyme is inactivated by heat; in raw products,
elimination of oxygen will prolong storage life. |
| Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging
(EMAP) |
Use of the respiratory processes
of fruits and vegetables to generate or maintain a
modified atmosphere. Respiration creates an atmosphere
having a reduced content of oxygen and an increased
level of carbon dioxide. This slows the process of
ageing. |
| Food hygiene |
All measures necessary to ensure
the wholesomeness and safety of food from reception
and storage of raw materials to final consumption. |
| Food poisoning |
Illness associated with consumption
of food which contains harmful chemicals, microorganisms
or their toxins.
|
| Food spoilage |
Deterioration of food caused by
microbiological, chemical, biochemical or physical
processes which results in undesirable appearance,
texture, odours and/or flavours. |
| Good manufacturing practice (GMP) |
The combination of manufacturing
and quality assurance procedures aimed at ensuring
that products are consistently manufactured to their
specifications. |
| Hermetic seal |
A heat and/or pressure closure
which constitutes part of a food package and is designed
to secure against the transfer of microbial or other
contamination from the environment to the product. |
| Master Pack |
A large gas-flushed pack containing
consumer packages. Sometimes known as a ‘mother
pack’. |
| Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) |
A food preservation technique whereby
the composition of the atmosphere surrounding the food
is different from the normal composition of air. Unlike
controlled atmosphere storage, in MAP there is no way
of controlling atmospheric components at specific concentrations
once a package has been hermetically sealed. Modified
to be a single gas or combination. |
| pH (value) |
A number which provides an indication
of the degrees of acidity or alkalinity: acid (pH value
below 7), neutral (pH 7), alkaline (pH value above
7). |
| Shelf-life |
The period of time from manufacture
that a food product remains safe and wholesome under
recommended production and storage conditions. |
| Vacuum packaging |
The removal of all or most of the
air within a package without deliberate replacement
with another gas mixture. |
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