INTRODUCTION

Since its invention over 200 years ago, along with chilling and freezing, canning has been
one of the primary methods for preserving food. It is a method by applying heat treatment to
preserve the food with a longer shelf-life by destruction of pathogenic and spoilage
microorganisms. Most citizens in developing countries consume a substantial amount of food that
is canned because they can obtain food year-round in a feasible way. The amount of nutrients that
are retained in canned foods varies, depending on a variety of factors, including the technique, the
product, and the nutrient.

Based on pH and acidity as well as the necessary heat processing to ensure safety and
microbiological stability, canned foods can be categorized into two which are low pH (>4.6) and
high pH (<4.6) food. Because of one specific microbe, Clostridium botulinum, the pH of 4.6 is
crucial. A spore is a latent form of Clostridium botulinum that may be found in soil and other
areas. The toxin is present in food and causes botulism, which can be fatal in even minimal levels.
Luckily, food with a pH 4.6 or below will not allow the growth of Clostridium botulinum
spores, nevertheless, food with a pH more than 4.6 requires heating as part of canning process in
order to destroy these spores.

There are many advantages of canned food product including cans can protect food from
oxygen exposure and excessive light exposure since they are compact, sturdy, and effortless to
store, carry, and destroy. Besides that, it is sustainable since they are normally long-
lasting between 1-5 years after processing, which can help decrease food waste, which is crucial
for the sustainability of our world. And lastly, foods in cans take less energy to transport since
they don't need additional refrigeration for storage or transit.

OBJECTIVE
1. To determine the shelf life of canned food product.
2. To identify how to properly handle a food product before canning.
3. To observe any sign of spoilage on different treatment applied of canned food product.
MATERIALS/ INGREDIENTS

Ingredients Amount (g)

Coconut milk 600
Chicken meat 2000
Potatoes 1000
Shallots 150
Garlic 100
Curry powder 250
Dried chili 100
Cooking oil 250
Salt As preference
Sugar/ MSG As preference

EQUIPMENT
Exhaust chamber, seamer, autoclave, blender

PROCEDURE
1. Shallots, garlic, and potatoes peeled off. The stalk removed and the dried chili washed,
soaked in water. The shallots, garlic, and chili grinded, separately using a blender.
2. The potatoes and chicken were cut into suitable sizes. Some water was added into curry
powder and made into a paste. The shallots and garlic were fried with oil until slightly
brownish.
3. Chili and curry paste added and kept fried will well done. Some water was added followed
by coconut milk and continued heated.
4. Potatoes and chicken pieces filled into the curry. The curry chicken was heated for about
5-10 minutes. Sugar/ MSG or salt added.
5. The potatoes and chicken pieces were filled into sterilized cans and covered with hot curry
leaving about 1.3 cm headspace.
6. The cans exhausted for 7 minutes. The cans immediately seamed and inverted.
7. The cans heated at 121 °C using a retort for 45 minutes and the cans cooled in running
water.
8. The cans were stored at room temperature and weekly observed for any sign of spoilage.
RESULT
Treatments Blanch Not blanch Not sterilize
WEEK 1
Can 1 2 3
Exterior can condition No changes No changes No changes
Micro-leak test No changes No changes No changes
Internal can condition Normal Normal Normal
Product odour Curry smell Curry smell Curry smell
Product liquor Normal Normal
Solid product Potato – Potato – Potato –
softened softened softened
Chicken - Chicken – Chicken -
overcooked overcooked / overcooked
softened
Liquid product Normal Normal Sour taste
Pigment Darker Darkened Darkened
Consistency Normal Normal Normal
WEEK 2
Exterior can condition No changes No changes No changes
Micro-leak test No changes No changes No changes
Internal can condition Normal Normal Normal
Curry smell Curry smell A bit pungent/
Product odour
acidic
Parameter to be
Product liquor Normal No changes No changes
observed
Potato –
Chicken &
softened Potato -
Solid product bone – digested
Chicken - slippery
overcooked
Liquid product Normal Normal Sour/ acidic
Pigment Darker Darker Darker
Consistency Normal Normal Normal
WEEK 3
Exterior can condition Slightly rust No changes No changes
Micro-leak test No changes No changes No changes
Internal can condition Normal Normal Normal
Product odour Curry smell Curry smell Slightly acidic
smell
Product liquor Normal No changes No changes
Chicken bone –
Chicken - Chicken - digested
Solid product
crushed crushed Potato -
softened
Liquid product Normal Normal Sour/ acidic
Pigment Darker Darker Darker
Consistency Normal Normal Normal
Overall acceptance Accepted Accepted Not accepted
DISCUSSION

In this practical, curry chicken has been prepared to determine each of the treatment’s shelf
life in cans. There were 9 cans divided into 3 categories, bleach, unbleached, and no sterilization.
Each of the categories had been tripled and observed once a week for 3 weeks. After the chicken
curry has been cooked, it was sealed and inverted, then, stored at room temperature. The
observations were on exterior, interior can condition, micro-leak test, product odour and liquor,
solid and liquid product, pigment, and consistency were made every week with different
categories.

At first week, both cans 1 and 2 were at normal condition in terms of exterior, interior can
condition, micro-leak test, product odour and liquor, and consistency. For solid product, the cube
potatoes became softened, and chicken has been overcooked. The curry has a dark colour affected
by the ingredients added to make it tasty. For can 3, only liquid product which was the curry
became sour. This is due to the growth of microorganisms as the can did not sterilize gave support
the growth of microorganisms.

At second week, the parameter observed had the same result as at first week except for can
3, it has a bit pungent and acidic smell as there were microorganism that live in the curry. Besides
that, the chicken and its bones were digested as the effect of overcooked. Then, it gave acidic
odour and sour taste of curry.

The observation on week 3 recorded the same thing as week 1, but there was a slightly rust
at can 1. It was due to the chemical reaction known as oxidation. In a water-containing
environment, this rust is created by a redox reaction between oxygen and iron. Chicken in curry
can 1 and 2 both were crushed as the process of overcooked. And lastly, can 3 recorded with sour
taste and slight acidic smell because the can not sterilized to kill the microorganism.

From the data, can 1 and 2 parameters observed can be accepted, except for can 3, cannot
be accepted. It had a sour taste, acidic smell, and tended to make people food poisoning. Overall,
canned products will have a long shelf-life if the can is sterilized.
CONSLUSION

In conclusion the objective of the experiment, which to determine the shelf life of can
products has been achieved. Besides, the sign of spoilage has been observed on 3 cans. The can
should be treated with sterilization to kill microorganisms to prolong the shelf life.

REFERENCES

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Pither, R. J. (2003). CANNING/ Quality Changes During Canning. Encyclopedia of Food Sciences
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SusanFeatherstone. (2015). A Complete Course in Canning and Related Processes (Fourteenth

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