Factors that determine the shelf life of a butter-like spread based on walnut oil

Abstract

The article describes the manufacturing stages for a new functional product that can enrich human diet with essential lipids – spread based on walnut oil. Due to the fact that its content of polyunsaturated fatty acids is in 3-4 times higher than in a classic milkbased butter, the problem of preserving spread biological value appeared. The analysis of product`s physico-chemical, structural, organoleptic and microbiological proprieties showed that the spread is stabile 10 days at (3 ± 2)ºC and within up to one month at – (6 ± 3)ºC. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in product composition were noticeably subjected to oxidative degradation only after 4 weeks of storage. It has been proven that namely microbiological stability is the determining factor, which affects the shelf life of a spread.