The possible causes of food product defects are so numerous that even in the best-managed plants, defects can occur and put a brand’s reputation at risk. Defective products are likely to be recalled and, without proper identification of the cause, can become a recurring and costly problem.
To cover the numerous causes of product defects, our expert scientists have access to a wide method portfolio to identify the proper cause.
Different Types of Food Product Defects
To define the best course of action, our expert team needs to understand the nature of the product defect:
- Off-flavor: Off-flavors are unpleasant tastes or smells, considered significant defects in food products. Residual solvents, aliphatic aldehydes, or diluents in flavorings cause these defects.
- Texture and appearance changes, anomalous color, and staining: most defects involving unwanted changes in color or texture are linked to microbiological issues, but the root causes can vary, including changes in pH, process issues, packaging contamination, or compromised barrier functions.
- Foreign bodies are typical defects in food, sometimes resulting from process issues (e.g., bone or seed pit residues) or extrinsic materials such as stones, insects, or plastic or glass fragments. These contaminants pose a threat to consumer safety.
Our Methods
Off-flavors
Mérieux NutriSciences conducts organoleptic evaluations through sensory analysis performed by a panel of trained judges who assess defects.
Specific instrumental analytical tests, such as screening aromatizing/volatile compounds in food (raw materials and finished products), flavorings, fragrances, essential oils, etc., can also support organoleptic studies. This screening can be qualitative or semi-quantitative, using SPME-GC/MS.
In the case of spoilage microorganisms, Mérieux NutriSciences can employ traditional plating and identification methods (MALDI-TOF, 16S rRNA sequencing) as well as characterize complex ecologies through Metabarcoding.
The choice of method and equipment is always made on a case-by-case basis and can be targeted or non-targeted:
- Targeted approach: In cases where specific causes are suspected, a targeted approach can be employed to save time and resources.
- Non-targeted approach: For more complex issues, non-targeted screenings enable us to detect non-volatile substances in food. Extraction technologies and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry are key technologies for non-targeted approaches.
Viscosity
Mérieux NutriSciences studies and measures viscosity through Brookfield viscometer, capillary viscometer and rheometer. We test viscosity on homogeneous food products in liquid form or in granules/powder after proper preparation steps, through dissolution procedures.
Texture
Mérieux NutriSciences evaluates food texture using a texturometer, which performs dynamometric tests.
Depending on the product characteristics, we conduct tests such as compressive strength, perforation (e.g., on apples), flexural strength (e.g., rusks), cutting and shearing (e.g., pasta, even after cooking), and texture profile analysis (TPA), simulating chewing on softer products.
The instrument assesses product adhesiveness, chewiness, breaking strength, chewing strength, etc.
Stains or Discoloration
Mérieux NutriSciences conducts studies on these phenomena through microbiological analyses, complemented by chromatographic (GC/MS, HPLC) and spectrophotometric analyses.
For microbiological analyses, we offer different approaches, including microscopic observations, plate isolation, and microbial identification using MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA sequencing. Additionally, our expertise in Next-Generation Sequencing and bioinformatic analyses enables targeted metabarcoding of 16S using MetaSequencing.
Color Defects
Although not necessarily compromising food safety, color defects can cause complaints. Mérieux NutriSciences studies the appearance and color of several foods through image analysis.
The digital image analyzer produces high-resolution photos of products in standard and repeatable lighting conditions, in order to:
- obtain a high-resolution image of the product;
- determine the color of the product (digital quantification of each pixel);
- compare different products/batches;
- compare color stability during a shelf-life study.
Ways of Working
- In the event of a significant incident in your operation, our teams are available 24/7 to prioritize your issue through our Crisis Management model.
- We provide a single point of contact to facilitate follow-up on your issue and streamline the communication process.
- Our experts possess diverse skills, enabling a comprehensive approach to problem-solving.
In many cases, the combination of multiple skills is capital to solve issues – e.g., crossing sensory analysis with an analytical screening of compounds to determine which compounds are the source of a defect.