: Modified atmosphere packaging is becoming increasingly common. It has been claimed that the technique enables significant shelf-life extension but in so doing presents an increased public health risk. This paper reviews the literature relating to the scientific basis of these claims. It demonstrates that shelf-life, sensory quality and safety of packaged products may be optimised only by harmonising a complex relationship between product and process.

This study examined the effects of sous vide (i.e. vacuum packaging) upon the sensory characteristics of chicken breast and of sliced potatoes in cream both immediately after cooking and following subsequent chilling, chilled storage and reheating. Cooking was to a range of end point temperatures (70 ЊC for 2 minutes, 80 ЊC for 10 minutes, 80 ЊC for 30 minutes) and chilled storage was for 2,5 or 7 days at 5 ЊC. The products were evaluated by separate sensory panels, each comprising either 25 or 10 trained assessors using attribute scaling methods. With both 80 ЊC heat treatments, sous vide significantly increased the flavour intensity of both products (P Ͻ 0.05) and the juiciness and moistness of the chicken and potato respectively (P Ͻ 0.05) compared to nonvacuum packed freshly cooked products. In general, higher hedonic scores were associated with higher flavour and juiciness scores for chicken and with higher flavour and moisture scores for potato. The hedonic appeal results indicate that, contrary to what has been widely assumed, these changes may not always be desirable in terms of product acceptability. The data also indicate that, in some products, the heat treatments necessary to ensure microbiological safety cause an appreciable loss of sensory quality. Sensory evaluation methodologyPart 1 Assessors were selected from a pool of volunteers Sous vide potatoes and carrots I.

Cook-chilled products are increasingly produced in the catering and food processing industries. It is claimed that the application of vacuum packaging followed by processing in-pack (sous vide technology) improves both shelf life and eating quality, but in doing so presents an increased public health risk. This paper reviews the literature relating to the scientific basis of these claims. It demonstrates that, although they have some theoretical foundation, in practice they are unsubstantiated by research. KeywordsCatering foods, convenience foods, eating quality, microbiological safety, shelf life, vacuum packaging. * Correspondent. Fax: +44 532 83311 1.

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This research focuses on the UK fast food retailers and the importance of the service delivery systems in fast food burger outlets. Waiting time and the impact it has on customer perceptions of service quality is considered alongside a typology of customers, based on their waiting characteristics. A number of critical components that affect customer queuing and crowding emerge as an inherent part of the production-line service system. The paper asserts that the cost-effective maximisation of service speed is likely to be the primary consideration for management, and lead to business success. When using conventional research approaches, such as tracking studies and queuing theory, these arguably offer burger restaurant managers a rather simplistic analysis. The research concludes, therefore, that modern computer-based simulation packages offer a way of measuring most of the influencing factors, and is an opportunity for leading fast food retailers to optimise their (total) product positioning.