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a farmers’ market. Shoppers can be given a sample
to taste and a questionnaire about the new product to
fill out on-site. Sometimes the market will allow you
to sample and at the same time have the product
available for sale. Actual sales after tasting reinforce
questionnaire results. For instance, if 100 people say
they will purchase but only five purchase the
product, there may be some question about the
truthfulness of the answers. Written waivers should
be used to obtain permission and to ensure that
tasters do not have allergies to any of your
ingredients.
The Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development,
Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc has a
sensory evaluation service available.
Contact:
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Food Processing Development Centre
780-980-4793
www.agriculture.alberta.ca
Scale-up
Scale-up can be difficult. When scaling up your
product from the kitchen to the commercial
production level, the quality of the product can
change. This makes adjustments to the formulation
and processing operations necessary. The changes
taking place during scale-up are unique for every
product. Some examples of common adjustments for
cooked foods include adjusting the amount of added
water to compensate for more or less evaporation
during cooking and adjusting the cooking time to
assure that the proper temperature is reached to cook
and thicken a starch.
Where a choice of storage methods exists for a
product, each option should be evaluated with regard
to processing and storage equipment requirements,
consumer acceptance, food safety and quality,
product shelf life, distribution channels and retail
display space. How your product is stored may be
prescribed by regulations.
The intended storage temperature (room
temperature, chilled or frozen) affects the choice of
ingredients and packaging materials in product
development. For example, chemically modified
starches, which provide freeze-thaw stability and
prevent separation, are used for thickening gravies or
pie fillings that are stored frozen.
There are an endless number of considerations in
scaling up a formulation. The assistance of a food
technologist, scientist or professional home
economist may help you choose the proper
ingredients and processing methods to withstand the
stresses of large-scale production.
Packaging
Packaging is especially important because the
package often sells a new product. Consumers want
colorful, attractive and conveniently packaged
products. Packaging should not impart flavor to the
product or react chemically with the food. It should
protect the product from physical, chemical and
microbiological sources of deterioration. Packaging
(shape, size etc.) should be compatible with the
packaging equipment you are using and needs to be
economical.
Shelf Life Studies
Shelf life is extremely important because a processor
must know how long a new product keeps under a
variety of temperatures and environmental
conditions. The time period that a product retains
prime quality (shelf life) is influenced by processing
methods, storage and distribution temperatures,
contact with oxygen and light, the use of
preservatives and more. Products with a shelf life of
less than 90 days must have a best before date on the
label. For products with a longer shelf life it is
desirable to know how long the product retains its
prime quality under normal and adverse storage
conditions to assure the customer purchases and
consumes a high quality product. Statements such as
“See bottom of container for best before date” or
“Sell by” dates ensure that the best quality product
reaches the consumer. The shelf life should be
established through testing prior to launching a