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W

Wagon jobber

A wholesaler that sells a limited variety and quantity of products from a truck.


Wall shelving

Shelves attached to perimeter walls in a retail store.



Wand

A hand-held bar code reader used for ordering, price checking, etc.


Wand scan ordering

The use of an electronic device (wand) to read shelf tickets, record quantities needed and thus prepare an order electronically.


Warehouse

A distribution center that orders, stores and ships products to retailers.


Warehouse receipt

A list of products received and stored in a distribution center.


Warehouse slot

Space allocated in a warehouse rack for a specific product. Also called a slot or bin.


Waste management

The controlled disposal of any food substance or food packaging, to minimise environmental and health impacts.

Water

Although water does not contribute any nutritional or caloric value to food products, it is nevertheless one of the most abundant and most important ingredients in many food products. In food it is measured as water acitivity (aw), which is the available water, which is not bound up. The aw-value is measured between 0 and 1 (water: aw = 1).

Water plays a role:

  • as a solvent for other nutrients (sugar, salt, etc.)
  • a medium for chemical reactions (e.g. hydrolysis, enzyme-catalyzed reactions, etc.)
  • is needed by microorganisms
  • tin exture (e.g. bread, sauces, etc.)

One of the oldest preservation methods to stop or at least slow-down harmful enzymeactivity and microbial growths, is the reduction of the aw-value, through e.g. drying or addition of salt and sugar, which are both hydrophilic and bind up water.

Dry foods like pasta, biscuits, etc. have an aw-value between 0.2 and 0.5. Dried fruits, depending on the desired chewiness, have an aw-value of around 0.6 which translates to a water content between 13-15%. Fat-containing snacks and nuts should have an aw-value of 0.4, as the undesireable oxidationreactions of fats are higher below and above this value.

Above an aw-value of 0.7 yeasts, molds and bacteria start to grow.

See in the image some more examples of aw-values of foods:


Water activity (Aw)

The measure of the amount of moisture available in a food product, affects its shelf life and safety. Foods with high water activity are more susceptible to spoilage and the growth of harmful bacteria, while those with low water activity are more stable and have a longer shelf life.

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