Browsing by Subject "säilyvyys"

Controlling crystallization is an important factor in the production of food, whether it is preventing crystallization or enabling it, depending on the food product. To control crystallization, one must understand the theory behind crystallization and the components in food that affect crystallization. In sugar icing the most obvious components are sugars and water that affect crystallization. Also, the frozen storage has an important role concerning shelf-life of the sugar icing. The aim of this study was to prolong the shelf-life of the sugar icing on top of the donuts and to understand the phenomena that have an influence on the quality of the sugar icing during freezer storage. The experimental part of the study was divided into two parts. Preliminary tests were conducted in the first part. In these preliminary tests the aim was to measure the temperature and relative humidity during the melting of donuts in its packaging and to evaluate the applicability of ultracentrifuge and Karl Fischer titration in the measurement of the sugar icings properties. In the main experiment part, the water activity was measured from the different parts of the donut, the freezing of the sugar icing as well as its viscosity were evaluated and the shelf-life of the sugar icing on top of the donuts was evaluated. Karl Fischer titration was found to be a suitable method for measurement of water content of sugar icings. Also, the ultracentrifuge was found to be a suitable method to measure the liquid phase of the sugar icing. In the measurement of the conditions during the melting of the donuts it was detected that the conditions in the package that was open during the melting of the products, balanced with the conditions surrounding the packaging rather quickly. At the same in the closed package the conditions remained same during melting even though the melting was done in different surrounding conditions. The shelf-life of the donuts was found to be shortest in those icings that had less water or if the water was less free in the icing. The longest shelf-life was found to be in the coated sugar icings. Methods to prolong the shelf-life of the sugar icing on top of the donut were found in this study. Also, the phenomena affecting the quality of the sugar icing during frozen storage were discovered to some extent but to understand them even further requires more research.

Kasvipohjaisten välipalatuotteiden kysyntä ja saatavuus ovat kasvaneet merkittävästi viime vuosina. Suojahapatteet eli hyötymikrobit, joilla on kyky estää pilaajamikrobien kasvua, ovat biologinen vaihtoehto parantaa elintarvikkeiden säilyvyyttä. Aiempaa tieteellistä kirjallisuutta suojahapatteiden vaikutuksesta kasvipohjaisiin välipalatuotteisiin ei ole löytynyt, joten tällä tutkielmalla pyritään parempaan ymmärrykseen aiheesta. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää suojahapatteen vaikutusta fermentoidun kasvipohjaisen välipalan säilyvyyteen. Tutkielmassa oli kolme osatutkimusta, joissa kussakin tarkasteltiin aihetta eri näkökulmasta. Hypoteesina oli, että enemmän suojahapatetta sisältävät välipalat säilyvät hieman paremmin kuin vähemmän suojahapatetta sisältävät välipalat. Suojahapatepitoisuudeltaan korkeampien välipalojen oletettiin jälkihappanevan enemmän säilyvyysseurannan aikana. Ensimmäisessä osatutkimuksessa valmistettiin eri suojahapatepitoisuuksia sisältävät välipalanäytteet laboratoriossa, ja niiden mikrobiologista laatua ja pH-arvoja seurattiin 12 viikon ajan (välipala 2). Toisessa osassa tarkasteltiin tuotannollisten näyte-erien säilyvyysseurantatuloksia (välipalat 1 ja 2). Kolmannessa osassa selvitettiin suojahapatelisäysten vaikutusta välipalojen kuluttajapalautemääriin ja pH-arvoihin (välipala 1). Suojahapatteen pitoisuuden nostaminen ei aiheuttanut selvää välipalan säilyvyyden parantumista tai pH-arvon merkittävää muutosta. Kuluttajapalautteiden määrä vaihteli kuukausien välillä. Välipalanäytteiden happamuus kasvoi ajan funktiona, mutta suojahapatepitoisuudella ei ollut selvää merkitystä jälkihappanemisen nopeuteen tai määrään. Välipala 1 happamoitui säilyvyysseurannan aikana enemmän kuin välipala 2. Tutkimusaineiston kontaminoitumiset ja pienet otoskoot tekivät tuloksista kuitenkin vain suuntaa-antavia. Suojahapatteiden toimintamekanismien ymmärtäminen ja vaikutus elintarvikkeiden säilyvyyteen vaativatkin jatkotutkimusta.

Automated dose dispensing is an increasing field in which medicines are packaged mechanically into small one-dose pouches in portions of two weeks. Suitability of tablets for automated dose dispensing has not been researched systematically earlier. The study was made in collaboration with the dose dispensing unit of Espoonlahti pharmacy. The aim of the study was to define optimal characteristics for an automatically dispensed tablet from a viewpoint of the dose dispensing process to reduce breakings and transitions. Breaking means that tablet crumbles, splits up or breaks up otherwise during mechanical dose dispensing process. Transition means that tablet is dispensed in a wrong dose pouch. Percentually breakings and transitions occur very little, but quantitatively plenty and increasingly when automated dose dispensing is becoming more common. Breakings and transitions cause plenty extra work because of correcting pouches, so their amount should be aimed to reduce. In addition, the aim is to find out matters to enquire from the manufacturers of medicines that would help concluding whether a product is suitable for automated dose dispensing based on written information. Results of the study indicate that to reduce breakings and transitions, an optimal tablet product for dose dispensing is rather small or middle sized, coated, strong and without a breakline and the optimal relative humidity of air in the product room of dose dispensing unit would be around 30 - 40 %. Matters to enquire from the manufacturers of medicines besides size, coating, breaking strength and breakline are stability of the product outside of its original package and light, heat and moisture sensitiveness of the product. Besides breakings and transitions, also stability of a moisture sensitive acetylsalicylic acid product (Disperin 100 mg) was investigated in 25 °C/60 % RH because air humidity in the product room is not adjustable. Duration of the test was four weeks. It is enough since it is the maximum time that tablets are outside their original packages during drug dispensing process before use. Tablets were kept in opened original container (bottle), in closed original container, in cassette of dispensing machine and in two different dose pouches (new material and the one in use). According to the results, cassettes are protecting tablets from moisture as poorly as an opened bottle. Instead, new pouch material protects tablets better than the material in use. Results of Raman spectroscopy measurements indicate no change in acetylsalicylic acid to salicylic acid during four weeks test. Moisture affects to tablets by decreasing breaking strength, which may cause more breakings. Air humidity should be adjusted in product rooms or tablets should be unpacked into cassettes as near operating the machine as possible to prevent breakings. Especially when air humidity is high. Among others, a heat sensitive drug product was researched because of the seaming unit of dose dispensing machine which is radiating heat of about 75 °C to pouches if machine is pulled over in the middle of work. Study was performed with variable temperature XRPD. Results of the study of heat sensitiveness indicate that 75 °C for 60 minutes doesn't induce changes in carbamazepine tablet (Neurotol 200 mg). However, results of the study reveal that researched product did not contain the most heat sensitive form of carbamazepine, so other heat sensitive drug products should be examined to get more information about effects of heat.