Shelf Life Prediction for Packaged Produce Sensitive to Moisture Damage

수분손상에 민감한 포장된 제품의 저장수명 예측

The change in moisture content of moisture sensitive products in moisture-semipermeable packages was investigated for the purpose of predicting the shelf life of a product-package combination. A mathematical model, and a computer program based on the physiochemical properties of the product and the moisture permeability of the package was developed. The moisture content for products in moisture-semipermeable packages was determined under various environmental conditions and the results were compared with the predicted values by means of the simulation model. These experimental studies demonstrated that the prediction of the change in moisture content of packaged products over time by the simulation model is accurate, within a practical range of temperature and relative humidity values. The developed semi-empirical model is considered to have applications in industry, since it provides product shelf life information for a range of temperature and relative humidity conditions, with a limited number of experimentally obtained data points.