Page 41 - FoodFocusThailand No.244 August 2026

STRONG QC & QA

FROM FACTORY RELEASE

TO MARKET SHELF:

DELIVERING THE PROMISE BEHIND

EVERY LABEL CLAIM

Analytical data generated on the day a
product leaves the factory may be accurate,
but it does not guarantee that the product will
maintain its intended quality when reaching
consumers. This gap between factory release
data and market testing outcomes is becoming
a major challenge for R&D, QC, and QA
professionals, as products that fully meet
release specifications may yield different
analytical results when tested after months on
shelves in the marketplace.

For QC and QA teams, this is one of the most Integrating Analytical Data for Better Quality Decisions
challenging situations. By the time analytical results The approach increasingly emphasised by the food industry is not
from products sampled in the marketplace become simply to increase test volume, but to integrate data from chemical
available, the affected batch may already be widely analysis, functional property analysis, physical characterization, and
distributed and consumed. The key question is not shelf-life studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of product
which result is correct, but whether the quality system behaviour. Connecting these sources of information enables R&D, QC,
can ensure product quality throughout its shelf life. and QA teams to identify changes at an early stage and implement
Although discrepancies may stem from product corrective actions before issues affect consumers or the corporate
changes during storage, sampling variation, or analytical reputation.
limitations, any inconsistency ultimately undermines When multi-dimensional data is integrated into the decision-making
consumer confidence and brand trust. process, analytical instruments move beyond simple result verification.
This shift expands the role of quality systems beyond They become part of a decision-support system that enables
release testing for batch approval toward Lifecycle formulation improvement, process control, shelf-life determination,
Quality Management. Factory release is not the end of and continuous post-market quality monitoring.
quality control, but the beginning of monitoring product In today’s food industry, competitive advantage is defined less by
performance under real-world conditions, including the number of sophisticated instruments in a laboratory than by an
transit, storage, and consumer use. For consumers, organisation’s ability to interpret the information those instruments
the food label is more than a legal compliance generate. Consumers do not buy laboratory reports. They buy
requirement; it is a brand commitment regarding confidence that every product will continue to deliver the quality,
nutrition, quality, and consumption experience, all of nutrition, and experience promised on its label. Ultimately, product
which must be maintained as claimed throughout the quality is not proven when a batch is released from the factory.
product’s shelf life. It is proven when the last package consumed within its declared
shelf life still fulfils that promise. This is the highest objective of quality
Understanding Product Performance management in the food industry.
Through Functional Properties
Chemical analysis remains fundamental for verifying
label claims and regulatory compliance. However,
ensuring product quality throughout shelf life requires More Information Service Info C006
more than compositional data alone. Functional
property analysis—including rheology, texture, particle เอกสารอ้างอิง / References
size, emulsion stability, thermal behaviour, and other • McClements, D. J. (2015). Food Emulsions: Principles, Practices, and
physical characteristics—provides deeper insight into Techniques (3rd ed.). CRC Press.
product changes during processing, storage, and • Bourne, M. C. (2002). Food Texture and Viscosity: Concept and
consumer use. For example, a ready-to-drink protein Measurement (2nd ed.). Academic Press.
beverage may meet its protein specification on the • McClements, D. J., & Grossmann, L. (2021). “The Science of Plant-Based
production date, yet develop protein aggregation, Foods: Constructing Next-Generation Meat, Fish, Milk, and Egg Analogs.”
viscosity shifts, phase separation, or emulsion instability Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 20(4),
over time—serving as early warning indicators before 4049–4100.
significant chemical changes become detectable.
AUG 2026 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 41

25/7/2569 BE 17:14
40-41_Strong QC&QA_ITS thailand.indd 41 25/7/2569 BE 17:14
40-41_Strong QC&QA_ITS thailand.indd 41