UNIT 8 PACKAGING, STORAGE,

COMMON DEFECTS, SHELF LIFE

AND PRESERVATION OF PANEER
AND CHHANA
Structure
8.0 Objectives
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Packaging of paneer
8.3 Packaging of chhana
8.4 Packaging of chhana based sweets
8.5 Microbiological quality of paneer
8.6 Microbiological quality of chhana
8.7 Microbiological quality of chhana based sweets
8.8 Defects in paneer and chhana
8.9 Shelf life and preservation
8.10 Let Us Sum Up
8.11 Key Words
8.12 Some Useful Books
8.13 Answers to check your Progress Exercises

8.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading unit we should be able to:
• pack chhana and chhana based sweets.
• know microbiological quality of coagulated milk products and chhana based
sweets.
• understand the cause of various defects in coagulated milk products
• enhance the shelf life of coagulated milk products.

8.1 INTRODUCTION
The production of various indigenous milk products is largely confined to small
entrepreneurs (halwais) in rural areas, the hygienic considerations are not being paid
their due attention, and as a result most samples reveal gross contamination on
analysis. Due to high heat treatment during preparation of these products, the microbial
load is very low in fresh products. It is the post-processing/ manufacturing
contamination during handling and storage which leads to sharp increase in the
population of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Packaging plays an important
role in this context to protect and preserves the quality of the products for longer
time. Packaging also appeals to, or attracts the customers, thus helps in selling of the 45
Paneer and Chhana product. In recent years rapid developments are taking place in the mode of packaging
of dairy products. Today most of the dairy products in western countries are being
sold in flexible packages, like paper carton, plastic pouches, laminates, moulded
containers, etc. because of the advantages, flexible packages offer over the
conventional type of packages. The flexible packages are light in weight, thus reducing
the cost of transportation, can be used for single-service, are easy to carry home,
suitable for super market display most economic and can be made attractive.

8.2 PACKAGING OF PANEER

The prominent traditional dairy products include paneer, chhana, milk sweets such
as rasogulla, Burfi, peda, kalakand, gulab jamun, etc., dahi, mishti dahi, shrikhand,
chakka, etc. These products are generally manufactured in small lots by private
traders and halwais. Most of the preparations are labour intensive and rely on local
inputs. Very little attention is paid to sanitary handling practices and packaging. Paneer
is highly susceptible to microbiological and chemical changes. Therefore, its
packaging, should protect it against microbiological and chemical spoilage, maintain
quality and provide consumer convenience. In general, various packaging materials
used for preserving paneer at refrigeration temperature include wax coated parchment
paper, polyethylene pouches, flexible films, heat induced shrink films, and saran
films. Flexible packaging films like polypropylene, retort pouches and co-extruded
laminates hold a great promise for packaging paneer for longer period.

8.3 PACKAGING OF CHHANA

At present chhana is manufactured in rural households and packed in bamboo baskets
lined with leaves or parchment paper and is locally sold to retailers engaged in the
manufacture of confection. In eastern part of the country, chhana is also transported
to far off places by immersing in chhana-whey containing earthen pots. These methods
of packaging are not effective and adequate. During transport and handling the
product gets heavily contaminated and deteriorates at faster rate.
There is a lack of appropriate packaging systems for chhana meant for marketing.
The packaging material should protect chhana from heat, light, oxygen, microbial
contamination, moisture loss, foreign odour, etc. The package should also be non-
toxic. At best, vegetable parchment paper has been used for chhana packaging, but
with limited success. Chhana packaged in tin cans and cellulose films/ LDPE and
stored at 37oC has a shelf life of only three days. When poster-paper/ Al. foil/
LDPE is used, refrigerated storage for chhana at 4-5oC is required. Chhana stored
in tin cans showed the least chemical changes during storage at 37oC. Tin cans and
poster-paper/ Al. foil/ LDPE also provided maximum protection against chemical
deterioration as compared to other packaging material. The storage of chhana in
different types of flexible packaging material tends to increase the water vapour
transmission rates and oxygen transmission rates both at 5oC and 37oC. Polycel
(300 and 150 gauge, coloured) is low cost and good packaging material for chhana.

8.4 PACKAGING OF CHHANA BASED SWEETS

These sweets need to be saved from light, oxygen ingress or egress of moisture,
yeast and moulds. The shape and body and texture of these products have also to
be protected and some of these sweets are sold dipped in sugar syrup. Rasogulla
are usually packed in lacquered tin cans of one kg capacity. The cleaned empty cans
are first sterilized in hot air inside a closed chamber. Rasogulla balls with hot sugar
46 syrup and permissible preservatives are filled in containers, and seaming tightly seals
the lid. Sodium metabisulphate is used to maintain white colour of tinned rasogulla. Packaging, Storage,
Common Defects, Shelf
The shelf-life of rasogulla in tin containers is around three months. Lacquered tin can Life and Preservation
is most suitable package, but its cost is very high. Hence, there is a case to develop
plastic cans similar to “Letpak” used in European countries. Letpak is extruded and
laminated with a PP-Al. foil material. The foil provides the necessary water vapour
barrier property, smooth curved corners and good printing surface for multi colour
designs. The ends are injection moulded and lined with the same type of laminate as
used for the body. They are welded into palce by high frequency sealing. No tool is
required to open the lid. The materials are heat resistant and suitable for food contact.
The size and dimensions can be standardized to suit the distribution system and
consumers need. In the similar fashion rasmalai can be packaged.
Presently sandesh, chhana-murki, etc. are packaged in paper carton or duplex board
boxes. These traditional packages do not provide sufficient protection to the product
from atmospheric contamination and manual handling. Consequently, the sweets
soon lose their typical organoleptic characteristics such as flavour, body and texture,
pick up foreign odors, become rancid, get oxidized and result in undesirable
appearance due to the mould growth. Also sweets packed in these packages are
not suitable for long distance transportation, as they do not provide adequate
mechanical, physical and protective properties. The improved packages such as
saran coated films, laminates having Al. foil; multi-layered co-extruded films,
metallized polyester, etc. could be used for packaging of such sweets.
Check Your Progress I
1) What is the role of packaging?
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2) Enlist the type of packaging material used in packaging of coagulated milk
products and chhana based sweets.
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3) What are the points you will consider for selection of a suitable packaging
material for paneer and chhana?
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4) Write down about packaging of chhana based sweets.
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47
Paneer and Chhana
8.5 MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF PANEER
The microbiological quality of paneer depends chiefly upon the conditions of
manufacturing, handling, storage and marketing of the product. It has been observed
that fresh paneer manufactured under strict sanitary conditions does not contain
organisms capable of producing toxins or diseases in human beings. The published
reports indicate that bacteria, yeasts and moulds enter the milk products through
sources like air, water, utensils, cutting knife, cloth and persons handling the product.
Coliforms, yeasts and moulds which are present in sufficient numbers in raw milk get
destroyed totally after subjecting it to a heat treatment of 82oC for 5 min. But these
organisms again reappear as contaminants in paneer wrapped in cloth and also in
packaged paneer suggesting thereby that the contaminating organisms have entered
during post processing and handling of product. Fresh paneer made from standardized
milk generally exhibits a total plate count of several thousands colony-forming-units
(cfu)/g. Storage at the ambient temperature for two or three weeks causes the total
count to increase rapidly to tens of millions cfu/g. The pH of paneer drops from 5.5
to 4.5 with concomitant separation of visible free moisture in pouches. Without the
use of sorbic acid or other preservatives, paneer retains optimal quality for about a
week. Domestically/ cottage-scale produced paneer remains fresh for two-three
days. Shelf-life extension for a longer period would make its marketing possible to
distant places.

8.6 MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF CHHANA

The microbiological quality of chhana depend upon the standard of cleanliness during
production, packaging, transportation and storage, and these factors affect the
keeping quality of chhana. The microbiological spoilage of chhana is characterized
by a heavy growth of moulds on its surface and a stale flavour at refrigeration
temperature of 4-5oC. The product develops a sour smell and a bitter taste at 22-
25oC and 37-39oC while its surface is sparsely covered with fungi. The most common
moulds contaminating chhana samples are Penicillium, Aspergillus, Mucor,
Rhizophus, Fusarium and Parcillomyces.
Market samples of chhana have shown wide variations in microbial counts (Table
8.1). The total viable counts are in the range of 0.0-9.0 x 106 and 0.0 – 2.2 x 105,
while coliforms, yeasts and moulds are in the range of 0.0-13.9 x 106, respectively.
The wide range of fluctuations observed in microbial counts is attributed to the
market conditions.
It has been further examined that three kinds of fresh chhana samples viz. cow milk,
buffalo milk and market samples for total plate, acid producing, proteolytic,
chromogenic, aerobic spore forming bacilli and yeast and mould counts. The market
samples carried higher counts in all cases as compared with cow and buffalo chhana
except for yeast and mould counts. Cow milk chhana showed high counts in all tests
except for lipolytic, yeast and mould counts.

48
 Table 8.1. Microbial quality of fresh chhana Packaging, Storage,
Common Defects, Shelf
Life and Preservation
Microbial profile Cow milk Buffalo milk Market
chhana chhana chhana
Total viable counts 280 270 2500
Acid producers 17 10 100
Proteolytic counts 18 11 110
Chromogenic counts 10 8 150
Lipolytic counts 19 22 50
Aerobic spore formers 6 5 20
Yeast and moulds counts 5 6 6

8.7 MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF CHHANA

BASED SWEETS
Few studies have been conducted to examine the chhana based sweets for
microbiological quality with a view to assess the standard of cleanliness during
production, transportation, storage and marketing. The present information cannot
be used in formulating the microbiological standards for these products.
Contaminated chhana and its rasogulla, prepared by heating raw milk, containing
staphylococci grown to a level of 108 and 109 cfu/ ml, thermo stable deoxy-
ribonuclease and enterotoxins showed the absence of staphylococci but the presence
of the latter two. However, the non-selective enrichment of such chhana and rasogulla
samples in BHI broth showed the growth of staphylococci to a level of 104 to 109
cfu/ g with an increase in thermo stable deoxy ribonuclease activity. It indicated that
the public health hazard posed by chhana and rasogulla made from raw milk heavily
contaminated with enterotoxigenic strains of staphylococcus aureus.
Sandesh samples examined for total plate count, coliform count, staphylococcal
count, yeast and mould count and their counts per gram of product ranged from 0-
1 x 105, 0-55 x 101, 0-49 x 102 and 0-35 x 102, respectively. The most prevalent
organisms identified were E. coli, staphylococcal strains, and moulds such as A.
niger, A fumigates and A. nidulans.

8.8 DEFECTS IN PANEER AND CHHANA

The defects in paneer and chhana and their prevention is presented in Tables 8.2
and 8.3, respectively.
Table 8.2. Defects in paneer and their prevention
Defects Prevention

Flavour
Sour Use fresh milk, use optimum quantity of
coagulant and pH of coagulation
Rancid Avoid hydrolysis of fat, store paneer at 4-
6oC.
Stale/ unclean Control microbial growth, use permitted
preservatives for long storage, store paneer
at 4-6oC. 49
Paneer and Chhana
Body and Texture
Hard body Use optimum fat in milk (5-6%), follow
standardized procedure, avoid excessive
pressing of paneer.
Coarse texture Optimize fat:SNF ratio in milk, follow
optimum coagulation conditions (amount of
acid, pH of coagulation, temperature), use
fresh milk.
Colour and appearance
Dry surface Use optimum fat level in milk, proper
packaging of paneer.
Hard surface/ hardening Use proper moisture – barrier packaging
material, avoid surface drying, use optimum
pressure for pressing.
Brown spot Avoid scrapping of over heated surface of
equipment.
Shiny Avoid microbial growth on surface, use
proper packaging material and storage
temperature.
Table 8.3. Defects in Chhana and their prevention
Defects Prevention
Flavour
Burnt/ smoky Avoid smoky fire, stir milk continuously
during heating
Sour Use fresh milk, use optimum level of
coagulant (acid/ sour whey)
Rancid Store chhana at low temperature (4-6oC).
Stale/ foreign Avoid contamination, store chhana at 4-6oC,
control microbial growth.
Body and Texture
Hard body Use optimum fat level in milk, employ
optimum heating, coagulation and pressing
during paneer manufacture.
Coarse texture Use fresh milk, standardize milk for optimum
fat-SNF ratio, optimum temperature of
coagulation, and proper pH of coagulation.
Colour and appearance
Dry surface Optimize fat and moisture content
Surface skin/ hardening Proper packaging with moisture barrier
packaging material.
Viable foreign matter/ inert material Proper straining of milk, adopt good
manufacturing practice and good packaging
system.
Mouldy surface Optimum moisture content, proper
packaging and storage, easily disposal.
50
Check your Progress 2 Packaging, Storage,
Common Defects, Shelf
1) What is the source of microbial contamination of paneer and chhana? Life and Preservation

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2) Write down the most common moulds found contaminating chhana.
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3) Give the microbiological load of chhana produced under control condition and
sold in market.
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4) Write down the microbiological quality of sandesh.
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5) Enlist the common defects of paneer and chhana.
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8.9 SHELF LIFE AND PRESERVATION

i. Paneer
The relatively short shelf life of paneer is a major handicap in the commercial adoption
of paneer manufacture. The shelf life of paneer is reported to be only 6 days under
refrigeration though its freshness is lost within 3 days. At room temperature paneer
does not keep good for more than one day. The heat treatment given to milk is more
than enough to destroy all the pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. Thus it is
the contamination either during or post manufacturing which is responsible for this
spoilage. Paneer blocks obtained after pressing are immersed in water for cooling.
It is during this period that microorganisms establish themselves in the product and
proliferate on storage later on. The dipping water is a potent source of contamination
and its quality is very important.
The spoilage in paneer occurs due to the surface growth of microorganisms. A greenish
yellow slime forms on the surface and the discolouration is accompanied by an off-
odour. It is only the surface that gets spoiled early while the interior remains good for
a longer time. To curb the surface growth of microorganisms and thereby increase
the shelf-life of paneer, the following practices can be successfully adopted.
51
Paneer and Chhana Chilling: Rapid chilling of paneer is necessary to arrest the growth of microorganisms.
Normally the producers do not see to it that the temperature of paneer has been
brought down sufficiently (5-10oC) and it usually remains in the range of 20-30oC at
the time of packaging. If such paneer is transferred to a refrigerator or cold store, it
takes quite some time to cool down to the desired temperature. Microorganisms get
fully established by that time and cause spoilage of the product. The bacteriological
quality of chilled water should also be very high. It is essential that pasteurized chilled
water should be used for cooling of paneer blocks.
Brining: Paneer dipped in 5 percent brine solution lasts for nearly 20 days as against
control that is spoiled after 6 days of storage at 8-10oC. The sensory attributes are
rated higher for salted samples. Since paneer is mostly salted and spiced before
consumption, the salting at the time of dipping can be advantageously used in
extending the shelf life of paneer. For preparation of brine salt should be dissolved in
pasteurized water.
Use of chemical preservatives: A shelf life of 32 days under refrigeration can be
achieved when paneer is treated with a combination of delvocid and hydrogen
peroxide. Shelf life of 40 days using benzoic acid (1200 ppm) under refrigeration
conditions and 20 days at 37oC has been reported. Further, enhanced shelf life of
36 days at room temperature by adding sorbic acid to milk (0.15%) and subsequent
wrapping of paneer in sorbic acid coated paper can be achieved.
Freezing: On storage of paneer at sub zero temperature i.e. –13oC and –32oC for
120 days, the flavour and appearance is not affected but its body and texture
deteriorates and the product becomes crumbly and fluffy on thawing. Blast freezing
has recently been used to enhance the shelf life of paneer. The paneer block is cut
into pieces of approx. 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm size and blast frozen at a temperature
below –20oC. The product can be stored under frozen conditions (below –18oC)
for more than one year without any deterioration in its quality.
Vacuum packaging: Vacuum packaging of paneer in laminated pouches can help
to increase its shelf life to about 30 days at 6±1oC. The body and texture of paneer
also improves on vacuum packaging as it becomes more compact and shows better
sliceability. Paneer packaged in high film (EVA/ EVA/ PVDC/ EVA) under vacuum
and heat treated at 90oC for one minute is reported to have a shelf life of 90 days
under refrigeration.
Heat sterilization: Although the refrigerated shelf life improves markedly by the
various treatments given to raw paneer, the shelf life at room temperature does not
improve noticeably. Heat sterilization of paneer is an effective treatment for improving
its shelf life at room temperature. Paneer packed in tins along with water/ brine and
sterilized in an autoclave at 15 psi for 15 min lasts for 4 months. The perception of
an oxidized flavour renders the product unacceptable afterwards. A slight amount of
cooked flavour accompanied by maillard browning, the intensity of which increases
slightly during storage, is noticed.
Grass additives: In order to enhance the keeping quality of paneer, the efficacy of
four grass additives viz. cardamom, clove, cinnamon and ginger were investigated.
The additives were individually added to milk at the time of coagulation. Ginger was
added at the of 5, 9 and 11 g per kg milk and cardamom, clove and cinnamon were
added at the rates of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g per kg of milk. Paneer samples containing
ginger, cardamom, clove and cinnamon each for low, medium and high dose showed
shelf life of 32, 36 and 40 days; 23, 32 and 36 days; 24, 28 and 32 days; 23, 28,
and 32 days, respectively at refrigerated temperature (5±1oC) while paneer was
52
treated with brine (4.5%) and packed in polyethylene pouch (550 gauge), pre- Packaging, Storage,
Common Defects, Shelf
sterilized with hydrogen peroxide (20% v/v). Clove and Cinnamon treated samples Life and Preservation
exhibited same shelf life as per their respective dosage. On the basis of sensory
evaluation and physico-chemical changes during storage, medium dosage of four
spices were found to be most effective and in totality, the treatment of paneer with
medium dose of ginger followed by medium dose of cardamom and clove/ cinnamon,
respectively was most effective.
ii. Chhana
Chhana is perishable milk product. At ambient temperatures, its quality deteriorates
within a day or two. The shelf life of chhana is greatly influenced by the composition
of chhana particularly moisture content, storage temperature and nature of packaging
material. The average shelf life of chhana from both cow and buffalo milk at 4oC,
22oC and 37oC is about 10-12 days, 3-4 days and 2-3 days, respectively. The cow
milk and buffalo milk chhana stored in tin cans and cellulose film/ LDPE was found
acceptable upto 3 days at 37oC, and 20 days at 4-5oC. The shelf life enhancement
of chhana using sodium benzoate, sodium propionate and sugar has also been
demonstrated. Under refrigeration, the shelf life is extended to six days.
iii. Chhana Based Sweets
The shelf life of chhana based sweets is largely depend on the processing and
packaging conditions, method of handling, season and moisture content in the product.
Normally sandesh has a very limited shelf life of two to three days. Hard grade has
better shelf life than soft grade ones. In summer, the shelf life of hard grade Sandesh
is between three to four days while in winter it kept well four to six days. The
relatively longer shelf life of this product may be due to low moisture and high sugar
contents. Serpak Sandesh is having maximum shelf life of two to three months under
refrigeration storage. Serpak is prepared by heating chhana and sugar for a longer
duration. Babupak Sandesh deteriorates rapidly and in summer its shelf life is one
day. Whereas, Batupak sandesh is having shelf life of two of three days. In winter,
the shelf life of Babupak and Batupak sandesh may be extended upto two and five
days, respectively.
The shelf life of rasogulla is quite longer as compared to sandesh. Rasogulla is
packaged in lacquered tin cans with hot syrup. Sodium metabisulphite is added to
maintain white colour to tinned rasogulla. The shelf life of rasogulla with permissible
preservatives in tin containers is above three months.
Check your Progress 3
1) What is the shelf life of paneer?
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2) Discuss in brief the various methods of preservation of paneer.
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Paneer and Chhana 3) What is the shelf life of chhana?.
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4) Write down the shelf life of chhana based sweets.
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8.10 LET US SUM UP

Packaging plays an important role in this context to protect and preserves the quality
of the products for longer time. Packaging also appeals to, or attracts the customers,
thus helps in selling of the product. In recent years rapid developments are taking
place in the mode of packaging of dairy products. Paneer and Chhana are highly
susceptible to microbiological and chemical changes. Therefore, their packaging,
should protect these against microbiological and chemical spoilage, maintain quality
and provide consumer convenience. In general, various packaging materials used
for preserving paneer at refrigeration temperature include wax coated parchment
paper, polyethylene pouches, flexible films, heat induced shrink films, and saran
films. Flexible packaging films like polypropylene, retort pouches and co-extruded
laminates hold a great promise for packaging paneer for longer period.
Chhana based sweets need to be saved from light, oxygen ingress or egress of
moisture, yeast and moulds. Rasogulla are usually packed in lacquered tin cans for
one kg capacity. Rasogulla balls with hot sugar syrup and permissible preservatives
are filled in containers, and seaming tightly seals the lid. Sodium metabisulphate is
used to maintain white colour of tinned rasogulla. The shelf-life of rasogulla in tin
containers is around three months. Presently sandesh, chhana-murki, etc. are
packaged in paper carton or duplex board boxes. These traditional packages do
not provide sufficient protection to the product from atmospheric contamination and
manual handling. The improved packages such as saran coated films, laminates having
Al. foil; multi-layered co-extruded films, metallized polyester, etc. could be used for
packaging of such sweets.
The flavour defects in paneer and chhana are sour taste, rancid, and stale/unclean,
smoky, burnt, body and texture defects are hard, coarse and pasty and colour and
appearance defects are dry, hard surface, moldy and brown spots. These defects
can be overcome by using good quality milk, employing good manufacturing conditions
and using proper packaging system.
The shelf life of paneer is reported to be only 6 days under refrigeration though its
freshness is lost within 3 days. At room temperature paneer does not keep good for
more than one day. Rapid chilling of paneer is necessary to arrest the growth of
microorganisms. Paneer dipped in 5 percent brine solution lasts for nearly 20 days
as against control that is spoiled after 6 days of storage at 8-10oC. A shelf life of 32
days under refrigeration can be achieved when paneer is treated with a combination
of delvocid and hydrogen peroxide. Shelf life of 40 days using benzoic acid (1200
ppm) under refrigeration conditions and 20 days at 37oC has been reported. On
54
storage of paneer at sub zero temperature i.e. –13oC and –32oC for 120 days, the
flavour and appearance is not affected but its body and texture deteriorates and the Packaging, Storage,
Common Defects, Shelf
product becomes crumbly and fluffy on thawing. Vacuum packaging of paneer in Life and Preservation
laminated pouches can help increase its shelf life to about 30 days at 6±1oC. Chhana
is an extremely perishable milk product. At ambient temperatures, its quality
deteriorates within a day or two. The average shelf life of chhana from both cow and
buffalo milk at 4oC, 22oC and 37oC is about 10-12 days, 3-4 days and 2-3 days,
respectively
The shelf life of chhana based sweets is largely depend on the processing and
packaging conditions, method of handling, season and moisture content in the product.
Normally sandesh has a very limited shelf life of two to three days. In summer, the
shelf life of hard grade Sandesh is between three to four days while in winter it is
kept well four to six days. The shelf life of rasogulla is quite longer as compared to
sandesh. Rasogulla is packaged in lacquered tin cans with hot syrup. Sodium
metabisulphite is added to maintain white colour to tinned rasogulla. The shelf life of
rasogulla with permissible preservatives in tin containers is above three months. The
relatively short shelf life of paneer, chhana and chhana based sweets is a major
handicap in the commercial adoption of their production. However, a great deal of
work has been done to enhance the shelf life of these products by employing improved
manufacturing conditions and effective packaging system.

4.11 KEY WORDS

Additive : An ingredient or a combination of ingredients
added, usually in small quantities, to a food
for the improvement of shelf life or quality or
nutritive value.
Chhana : It differs from paneer in that no pressure is
applied to remove the whey. The coagulum is
collected in a cloth and hung on a peg without
applying pressure to drain off the whey.
Chhana-murki : The milk based sweet is in the shape of chhana
cubes coated with sugar.
Keeping quality : Milk and milk products, sooner or later
become unfit for use on account of growth of
microorganism. The time elapsing from
production or delivery to this point of unfitness
for use is called its keeping quality.
Lipolysis : Decomposition or splitting of fat.
Microbiological safety : Food is microbiologically safe if it does not
cause food-born microbial intoxication
(poisoning) or infection to the consumers.
Organoleptic properties : Properties perceptible to the senses,
especially taste and smell.
Palatability : Acceptability of a feed, influencing the amount
eaten.
Preservative : Any material that prevents decomposition,
fermentation, spoilage and decay of dairy
products. 55
Paneer and Chhana Rancidity : A flavour defect in milk and milk products
due to oxidation and hydrolysis of fat by
lipases.
Sour : The taste characteristic produced by acid.
Stale : Tasteless or unpalatable from age.
Spongy : Soft and full of cavities, porous and absorbent
product.
Spoilage : The act or process of spoiling especially the
process of decay of foodstuffs.

8.12 SOME USEFUL BOOKS

Anantakrishnan, C.P. and Srinivasan, M.R. (1964). Milk products of India, ICAR
Publication.
Aneja, R.P., Mathur, B.N., Chandan, R.C. and Banerjee, A.K. (2002). Technology
of Indian Products, A Dairy India Publications, Delhi.
De, S. (1980). Outlines of Dairy Technology, Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Makhal, S. and Sen, D.C. (2001). Preservation of paneer – A review, Beverage
and Food World, 12: 15-18.
Rangappa, K.S. and Achyya, K.T. (1974). Indian Dairy Products, Asia Publishing
House, New Delhi.
Singh, S., Kanawjia, S.K. and Sachdeva, S. (1988). Extension of Shelf Life of
Paneer. Asian J. Dairy Res., 7: 147-151.

8.13 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress 1
1) i. Suitable packaging protects and preserves the quality of the product for
longer time.
ii. It also appeals to or attracts the customers, thus helps in selling or marketing
of the product.
2) (i) Flexible packages like paper carton, plastic pouches, laminates, moulded
containers.
(ii) Metal cans such as lacquered tin cans.
3) (i) Packaging material should protect paneer and chhana from heat, light,
oxygen, microbial contamination, moisture loss, foreign odour, etc.
(ii) Package should also be non-toxic and convenient in handling.
4) (i) Chhana based sweets need to be saved from light, oxygen ingress or
egress of moisture, yeast and moulds.
(ii) The shape, body and texture should be maintained.
(ii) Your answer should also include the various packaging materials used in
packaging of these sweets.
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Check Your Progress 2 Packaging, Storage,
Common Defects, Shelf
1) (i) The microbiological quality of paneer and chhana depends mainly upon Life and Preservation

the manufacturing conditions, handling, storage and marketing.

(ii) The product gets contaminated with bacteria, yeasts and moulds from air,
water, utensils, cutting knife, cloth and persons handling the product.
2) The most common moulds contaminating chhana are: Penicillium, Aspergillus,
Mucor, Rhizoplus, Fusarium and Parcillomyces.
3)
Microbial profile Cow milk Market chhana
chhana
Total viable counts 280 2500
Acid producers 17 100
Proteolytic counts 18 110
Chromogenic counts 10 150
Lipolytic counts 19 50
Aerobic spore formers 6 20
Yeast and moulds counts 5 6

4) (i) Sandesh samples examined for total plate count, coliform count,
staphylococcal count, yeast and mould count ranged from 0-1 x 105, 0-
55 x 101, 0-49 x 102 and 0-35 x 102, respectively.
(ii) The most prevalent organisms identified were: E. coli, staphylococcal
strains and moulds such as A. niger, A. fumigates and A. nidulans.
5) (i) Common flavour defects are: sour, rancid, stale/ unclean, burnt/ smoky,
foreign, etc.
(ii) Common body and texture defects are: Hard body, coarse texture.
(iii) Common colour and appearance defects are: Dry surface, hard surface,
brown spot, slimy, mouldy surface, visible foreign matter/ inert material.
Check Your Progress 3
1) The shelf life of paneer is reported to be only 6 days under refrigeration though
its freshness is lost within 3 days. At room temperature paneer does not keep
good for more than one day.
2) (i) The following methods can be successfully employed for preservation of
paneer such as chilling, Brining, use of chemical preservatives viz. devoiced,
hydrogen peroxide, potassium sorbate, benzoic acid, etc, grass additives,
freezing, vacuum packaging, and heat sterilization.
(ii) These methods need to be elaborated.
3) (i) The average shelf life of chhana from both cow and buffalo milk at 4oC,
22oC and 37oC is about 10-12 days, 3-4 days and 2-3 days, respectively.
(ii) The cow milk and buffalo milk chhana stored in tin cans and cellulose film/
LDPE was found acceptable upto 3 days at 37oC, and 20 days at 4-5oC.
4) (i) In summer, the shelf life of hard grade Sandesh is 3 to 4 days, where as in
winter 4 to 6 days.
(ii) The shelf life of rasogulla packed in lacquered tin cans with hot sugar
syrup is about 3 months. 57