Author: Melissa Morgan (Newman)
Planning Unit: Animal and Food Sciences
Major Program: Business Retention and Expansion
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Mrs. Weiss's soup mix (American Specialty Foods) has a long history in Cleveland that dates back to 1923. The chicken-flavored old-fashioned noodle soup and another noodle variety, kluski, were analyzed by the University of Kentucky Food Systems Innovation Center for two years to assist the manufacturer in setting an accurate shelf-life. Shelf life is the length of time a food can be kept in understated storage conditions while maintaining its optimum safety and quality. The shelf life of food begins from when the food is manufactured and is dependent on many factors such as its manufacturing process, type of packaging, storage conditions, and ingredients. An accurate understanding of how a product changes over time is critical to providing the consumer with a satisfying eating experience.