What's New

Donuts, Muffins & Pastries in Grocery Store Bakery Cabinets

Donuts, muffins, and pastries in grocery store cabinet displays become dehydrated and spoil when exposed to the ultraviolet light and damaging visible spectrum radiation commonly emitted by supermarket showcase lighting.

Promolux Safe Spectrum lamps emit minimal levels of damaging visible spectrum and UV wavelengths. When Promolux lamps are in bakery department cabinets, the shelf life of pastries, muffins and donuts can increase by up to 50%.

Dehydration of Donuts, Muffins & Pastries in Bakery Cabinets

Bakery display case lamps and the fluorescent lighting commonly found in grocery store bakery departments can adversely affect the donuts and pastries on display. One of the most common problems is dehydration from the heat and UV radiation emitted by these lights. This loss of moisture causes pastries, donuts, and muffins to become stale prematurely, giving the perception that they are not fresh.

Fresh fruit on tarts and pies are also sensitive to the effects of light and heat radiation, and they can become wilted and dried under ordinary lights. Promolux’s low temperature and low UV Safe Spectrum lighting minimizes moisture loss and prolongs the shelf life of bakery products by up to 50%.

[Top]

Spoilage of Pastry Creams in Commercial Display Cases

Light and heat accelerate the rate of lipid oxidation, a chemical reaction between oxygen and an unsaturated fatty acid that affects the smell, taste, and appearance of any food containing fats such as shortening, vegetable oil, or the milkfat in whipped cream and cream cheese. The higher the fat content, the more vulnerable the pastry, donut, or muffin is to the off-flavor effects of lipid oxidation. Nutritionally, lipid oxidation destroys riboflavin, pyridoxine, and vitamins A, D, B12, and C, while the free radicals that are released during oxidation are thought to cause cancer.

Oxidized muffins and pastries taste rancid, stale, metallic, or cardboardy. Pastries, donuts, and muffins containing dairy products are also susceptible to another chemical reaction triggered by light that causes whey proteins to degenerate and produces a burnt feathers or burnt hair flavor. These chemical reactions can occur after just four minutes of exposure to direct sunlight, or four hours of exposure to fluorescent lighting. Because Promolux Safe Spectrum lamps emit much lower levels of radiation than regular bakery display case light bulbs, they are less likely to precipitate lipid oxidation in muffins, pastries, and donuts containing fats and creams.

[Top]

Food Borne Pathogens in Refrigerated Pastry Showcases

The UV and visible spectrum radiation emitted by most bakery display case lighting can accelerate the growth of food borne pathogens in muffins, donuts, and pastries containing eggs and dairy products, even if the desserts are refrigerated. If the lighting source emits heat, as most bakery display case lamps do, bakery fillings made with eggs are even more likely to cause food poisoning. Promolux lamps emit lower levels of UV radiation, reducing this risk.

[Top]

Promolux True Color Definition Lamps

Compared to other fluorescent lighting, Promolux Safe Spectrum lamps emit 86% lower UV B radiation, a shorter wavelength that penetrates and causes heating, and 52% lower UV A radiation, a longer wavelength that tends to affect surfaces. Because Promolux lamps are designed for true color definition, they have a more balanced visible spectrum than other fluorescent lamps. The yellow and green wavelengths that are predominant in regular fluorescent lighting are the most damaging wavelengths in the visible spectrum.

Promolux lamps emit a more balanced range of wavelengths, including more of the red and blue wavelengths and more moderate levels of the yellow and green wavelengths. It is impossible to create a natural light that does not have any yellow or green wavelengths, so light sources will always be damaging to some extent. However, since Promolux Safe Spectrum lamps minimize the emission of damaging visible spectrum and UV wavelengths, using Promolux lamps will prolong bakery shelf life by up to 50% and reduce shrinkage by 30% to 50% compared to the shrinkage caused by standard lights. These savings will vary depending upon the duration of light exposure, the type of packaging used, and the composition of the bakery product.

Choice of Lamp Color Temperature

Promolux lamps are available in two spectrum ranges: Promolux Safe Spectrum Gold lamps emit a warm tone perfect for giving breads, muffins, and donuts a just-baked appearance; while Promolux Safe Spectrum Platinum lamps emit a cooler tone which is ideal for accenting white colors.