What is Fresh?

Here at Regethermic, we constantly see the battle between food manufacturers and retailers in relation to Fresh versus Product Shelf Life. The big push is on marketing a fresh product to the end consumer but, at the same time, wholesalers and retailers desire longer shelf life to minimise stock spoilage.

There are many ways to extend the shelf life of food; Pasteurisation, Map Packaging, Sterilisation, Retort, Hot Fill, Post Packaging Pasteurisation, Ingredient Modification, Brining, Pickling, Salting. There is preservatives like Antimicrobial agents, Antioxidants, Chelating agents and further chemical options such as the Benzoates, Nitrates, Sulphites, Sorbates. Soon, you find that the lines start to get rather blurred, leaving the question of “what is fresh’’?

In a market where consumers are becoming more aware of what is written on the back of a label, we, as Chefs and Food Manufacturers, are increasingly under the spotlight of what goes into our products.

Having run large production kitchens, I fully understand the challenges. However, at the core, I am a chef who loves good food. I love the taste, the smell, the texture. For me, it’s about this one major thing in food production; maintaining the integrity of the product. Food is a basic life necessity at its core, but if you’re going to eat something then it should not only serve the desired nutritional purpose but taste good and be enjoyable to eat.

If you’re keen to find out more about getting a better shelf life, a better yield whilst still maintaining your sense of food fresh integrity, then I’m here to assist. We’re all on the journey of delivering the optimal of ‘fresh food’. I look forward to your thoughts; let’s keep the dialogue going!