EXTENDING THE STORAGE LIFE OF KHAO-KRIAP-WAUE - A TRADITIONAL THAI GLUTINOUS RICE-BASED SNACK

Khao Kriap Waue (KKW) containing the usual 200 g kg(-1) sugar, can be stored for 1 week at ambient temperature (28 +/- 2 degrees C) in the u npuffed, intermediate moisture form (170 g kg(-1) moisture) before mou ld growth becomes apparent (10(4) colonies g(-1) moist weight or highe r). Reducing its moisture content to <130 g kg(-1) made the product br ittle, with poor puffing ability. The use of butyl parabenzoate extend ed the storate life to 2 weeks by delaying but not preventing mould gr owth. Storage in high barrier vacuum packaging extended the shelf-life to 12 weeks, compared with 1 week in manually air-expelled polyprophy lene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or high-density polyethylen e packaging. Increasing the sugar content of 350 g kg(-1) glutinous-ri ce, lowered a(w) to 0.65, made the product pliable and puffable, and i ncreased the storage life of the unpuffed KKW to about 4 weeks. Puffed KKW which usually would not stay crunchy for more than 3 h after puff ing, can be stored for less than 2 months in LDPE, but remained crunch y and acceptable for more than 6 months in aluminium/polyethylene lami nate or PP. The use of PP, however, is more economical than aluminium/ polyethylene laminate.