Storage related changes in ghee-based low-fat spread

In order to assess the shelf life of a low fat spread (LFS) based on ghee, the product with (PS) and without (CS) added 0.05 % (w/w) preservative potassium sorbate and packaged in 200 g polystyrene tubs was stored at 5 °C and evaluated for changes in sensory, physico-chemical and microbiological properties. On the basis of flavour score, the PS spread could be stored for 10 weeks without appreciable loss in quality as against the CS spread which could be stored only for 5 weeks. From the point of view of spreadability, body and texture and colour, the CS product was acceptable even after 11 weeks of storage. Use of preservative had an inhibitory effect on the development of free fatty acids (FFA) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances. While both the products showed an increasing tendency to whey off during storage, CS wheyed off more than PS. The two spreads showed similar oiling off, which increased slightly during the storage. Microbiologically, the ghee-based low fat spreads with and without preservative was stable for 9 and 3 weeks, respectively, from the view point of yeast and mould growth; but the preservative had little effect on the total viable count. Coliforms were absent in all the samples in fresh and during storage.