It's Mid-Autumn Festival again, and people have started buying mooncakes as gifts for friends and family. However, many may not be clear on how to choose good mooncakes. Experts have offered advice on how to select quality mooncakes and avoid common purchasing pitfalls.
Zou Weihua, Director of the Yangling Shi Wei Tian Food Safety Technology Research Institute, believes that the shelf life of commercially sold mooncakes is generally 1-2 months. However, many consumers don't understand the production process and believe the closer the production date, the better. This is not the case. Freshly made mooncakes are often too dry and hard, lacking a moist texture. They generally require a period of "oil reversion." As long as they are within their shelf life, the texture and flavor of packaged mooncakes will not change significantly.
For selecting and assessing mooncake quality, Zou Weihua recommends a three-step approach: look, smell, and taste.
First, look: Is the golden-brown color of the mooncake's surface even? Is the mooncake exposed or deformed? Are the patterns and characters on the surface clear? Is the filling fine and dense? Are there any visible impurities? If any of these issues are present, it indicates that the mooncake's production quality is substandard and may pose food safety risks.
Second, smell: Is there a rancid oil smell? If so, it could be due to poor-quality oil used in production or that the mooncakes have been stored for too long. Are there any other unusual odors? Unusual smells could be caused by the degradation of food additives or the mooncakes not being fresh.
Third, taste: A good mooncake should have a fine, smooth, and crispy texture with no off-flavors. If it is clumpy, not fine, or has an off-flavor, it indicates a food safety issue. Consumers should be cautious when consuming such products.