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Primary Shelf-Life Assessment of Fresh Vegan Spinach Potato-Based Pasta (Gnocchi) Using an Accelerated Test Approach
Stefano Zardetto1, Carlos Gabriel Arp1,2, Gabriella Pasini1
1Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35122 Padova, Italy.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 28, 2026
Summary
The shelf life of vegan spinach gnocchi was determined to be 42 days, with microbial safety not being a limiting factor. Hardness and sensory attributes were key indicators for shelf-life prediction.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Microbiology
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is crucial for extending the shelf life of fresh foods.
- Understanding the factors affecting the shelf life of vegan products like spinach gnocchi is essential for the food industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the primary shelf life (PSL) of fresh vegan spinach gnocchi packaged under MAP.
- To investigate the impact of storage temperature on microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory properties.
Main Methods:
- Microbiological, physicochemical (hardness, water absorption), and sensory analyses were conducted at 4, 8, and 12 °C.
- Principal component analysis (PCA) and Overall Quality Index (OQI) were used to assess quality.
- Arrhenius modeling and time-temperature tolerance (TTT) were applied to predict PSL.
Main Results:
- Microbial load remained safe throughout storage across all temperatures.
- Gnocchi hardness and water absorption increased with storage time, influenced by temperature.
- OQI correlated strongly with cooked gnocchi hardness, establishing a sensory cutoff of 6.5 and a hardness rejection value of 12.1 N.
Conclusions:
- Microbial safety was not the limiting factor for the shelf life of vegan spinach gnocchi.
- Texture (hardness) and sensory attributes are critical for determining the PSL.
- The predicted PSL under non-isothermal conditions was 42 ± 3 days, validated by the time-temperature tolerance approach.
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