Applicability of Time‐Temperature Indicators as Shelf Life Monitors of Food Products

ABSTRACT A systematic approach that allows the correlation of the response of a Time‐Temperature Indicator (TTI) to the consumed and remaining shelf life of a food product exposed to the same variable temperature conditions was developed. The approach was based on kinetic principles and is applicable to a TTI‐food system without necessitating side by side testing. The applicability of three major TTI types to the developed scheme was studied. Experiments under several isothermal conditions were conducted and kinetic parameters for the three TTI were determined. All TTI showed an Arrhenius temperature dependence and their calculated activation energies ranged from 10 to 40 kcal/mol.