SURVIVAL ANALYSIS APPLIED TO SENSORY SHELF-LIFE PREDICTION OF READY TO EAT VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate and compare the sensory shelf-life of eight types of ready-to-eat (RTE) heat stable vegetable products using different methodologies in sensory analysis. Sample data compromise 81 consumers who tested eight types of vegetable meals packed in returnable plastic containers stored at 23 degrees and 4 degrees C with six different storage times for each temperature. The methodologies used were acceptability scoring and the evaluation of consumer rejection by survival analysis (Turnbull nonparametric estimation and Weibull Accelerated Failure Time, AFT). Results showed that the shelf-life estimated for the overall products at 23 degrees C by Weibull distribution for probability of product failure of 50\% was 32.6 months (CI95\% 30.9-34.5), which is about two years and a half. In addition, differences in shelf-life among the eight products were also found. In conclusion, sensory shelf-life estimation using different methodologies may provide valuable information regarding the quality of a food product.