Shelf life prediction of aluminum foil laminated polyethylene packed vacuum dried coconut milk powder Original Research Article

Shelf life of vacuum dried coconut milk powder packed in aluminum foil laminated polyethylene packages was predicted using developed mathematical models based on two limiting criteria viz., onset of caking and lipid oxidation. Accelerated storage studies for coconut milk powder packed in aluminium foil laminated polyethylene pouches were conducted at 90 ± 1% relative humidity and 38 ± 2 °C temperature. Threshold value for the shelf life prediction based on moisture migration was taken as the critical moisture content at which lump formation was observed. Shelf life prediction based on lipid oxidation involved establishing relationships between rate of oxygen absorption, package oxygen concentration, volume of O2 absorbed, peroxide value of the powder and storage time. A peroxide value of 10 mEq. of O2 per kg fat was considered as the threshold limit for oxidative rancidity. A good fit between experimental and predicted data with relative deviation percent below 10% was observed during storage studies.