Development and evaluation of active packaging for sliced mozzarella preservation

Antimicrobial films were formed by the incorporation of nisin (NI), natamycin (NA) and a combination of both (NI + NA) into cellulose polymer. Film efficacies were evaluated in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313, Penicillium sp. and Geotrichum sp. The films were also evaluated on sliced mozzarella cheese against moulds and yeasts, Staphylococcus sp. and psychrotrophic bacteria. Mechanical and microscopic properties of the films and the diffusion of the antimicrobial agents from the film to the cheese were also evaluated. Films containing NI showed an antimicrobial effect in vitro against S. aureus and L. monocytogenes, while films containing NA were effective in vitro against Penicillium sp. and Geotrichum sp. By the ninth day of storage at 12 ± 2°C, the count of yeasts and moulds on cheese covered with films containing NA decreased 2 log10 units compared with the count on cheese with control films. NI film did not show an effect against Staphylococcus sp., but it was effective against psychrotrophic bacteria for 6 days of storage of the cheese. The incorporation of antimicrobial compounds decreased the resistance and elongation of the films and caused changes in their molecular conformation. NI diffusion from the films to the cheese was not detected; however, time‐dependent diffusion of NA from the film containing NI + NA was measured. The incorporation of NI and NA together in the films did not show an effect. The film containing NA showed potential for application as active food packaging for sliced mozzarella cheese. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Potential of Alginate and Alginate/Chitosan Films Containing Potassium Sorbate and Natamycin

The antimicrobial potential of alginate films (AFs) and alginate/chitosan composite films with two different mass proportions of the biopolymers, 82.5:17.5 (CF1) and 65:35 (CF2), containing potassium sorbate (KS) or natamycin was evaluated. At the practical limit of KS addition (0.17 g KS per gram of alginate) for pure AFs, no inhibition zones were observed against Debaromyces hansenii, Penicillium commune and Penicillium roqueforti by the agar diffusion test. Above this concentration, films became opaque, brittle and showed a whitish precipitate over their surface, making them not suitable for use. However, alginate and alginate/chitosan composite films containing natamycin were able to inhibit the growth of the three microorganisms listed above. Natamycin was effective at concentrations as low as 0.005 g per gram of biopolymer for AF and 0.01 g per gram of biopolymer for both composite films, alginate/chitosan 65:35 (CF1) and alginate/chitosan 82.5:17.5 (CF2) against all microorganisms tested. The inhibitory zone diameter increased as concentration of natamycin increased. Active films containing 0.04 g natamycin per gram of biopolymer obtained in the present study exhibited suitable functional attributes and showed excellent perspectives as active antimicrobial films intended for food protection applications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

糖渍野木瓜鲜切片加工及保鲜工艺研究

目的 优化糖渍野木瓜的制作工艺和保鲜工艺参数,并评估其货架期。方法 以糖液质量分数、超声糖渍时间、真空糖渍时间为因素,进行正交实验,筛选出糖渍野木瓜鲜切片的最佳制作工艺。在最佳糖渍工艺基础上,筛选糖渍野木瓜鲜切片的保鲜处理工艺参数。在糖液中添加纳他霉素和D-异抗坏血酸钠,真空包装后巴氏杀菌。根据筛选出的最佳工艺参数制作产品,并进行产品检验。结果 糖渍野木瓜鲜切片最佳工艺参数：超声糖渍时间为60 min,真空糖渍时间为90 min,糖液质量分数为40%,纳他霉质量浓度为60 mg/L,D-异抗坏血酸钠质量浓度为200 mg/L,杀菌条件为70℃、30 min。结论 该工艺生产出的糖渍野木瓜鲜切片相较于市售产品具有更高的安全性和更长的货架期。     

筒子纱包装自动整列系统的设计与实现

目的 筒子纱的自动化包装是提高纺织自动化程度的重要手段,其中筒子纱的自动整列装袋是将筒子纱从离散到整包的关键,为了实现筒子纱的自动整列装袋,提出并设计一套筒子纱自动整列系统。方法 在控制方面,以西门子S7-1200系列PLC为控制核心,分析功能实现的顺序流程,采用TIA portal v14软件进行程序编写;在机械设计方面,根据工艺要求,设计一种带有吊臂的新型筒纱自动整列装置。结果 该系统能够在横、纵、竖等3个方向协同工作,并对筒子纱进行自动化整列,且具有一定的缓存功能。结论 该系统适用于大部分的筒纱自动包装生产线,可大幅提高筒子纱包装效率。     

Chitosan‐based nanofibers as bioactive meat packaging materials

Shelf life and safety of minimally processed food are crucial for both consumers and the food industry. This study investigates the in vitro and in situ efficiency of electrospun chitosan‐based nanofibers (CNFs) as inner part of a multilayer packaging in maintaining the quality of unprocessed red meat. Activated CNF‐based packaging (CNFP) were obtained by direct electrospinning of chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) solutions on top of a conventional multilayer food packaging. The electrospinning solutions were firstly characterized at the molecular level, mainly in terms of zeta potential and viscoelastic properties, and the evolution of the conformational structure was correlated to the nanofiber formation process. The oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of CNF‐based (CNFP) meat packaging were also investigated. The in vitro antibacterial activity of CNFs was determined against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria innocua, bacteria commonly incriminated in the alteration of food products. The efficiency of the CNFP materials against meat spoilage by E. coli was also assessed. Our results indicate that the electrospinning of CS is a multifactorial process and fiber formation requires the choice of a good solvent, high electrical conductivity, moderate surface tension, optimum viscoelastic properties, and sufficient chain flexibility and entanglement. The results also indicate that all the tested bacterial strains were significantly sensitive to the action of CNFs. The in situ bioactivity against E. coli showed the potential of CNFP as bioactive nanomaterial barriers to meat contamination by extending the shelf life of fresh meat up to 1 week.     

Effects of different culture conditions on biological potential and metabolites production in three Penicillium isolates

The genus Penicillium is well known for its importance in drug and food production. Certain species are produced on an industrial scale for the production of antibiotics (e.g. penicillin) or for insertion in food (e.g. cheese). In the present work, three Penicillium species, part of the natural mycobiota growing on various food products were selected – P. ochrochloron, P. funiculosum and P. verrucosum var. cyclopium. The objective of our study was to value these species from the point of view of production of bioactive metabolites. The species were obtained after inoculation and growth in Czapek and Malt media. Both mycelia and culture media were analyzed to monitor the production of different metabolites by each fungus and their release to the culture medium. The concentrations of sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids and tocopherols were determined. Antioxidant activity of the phenolic extracts was evaluated, as also the antimicrobial activity of phenolic acids, organic acids and tocopherols extracts. Rhamnose, xylose, fructose and trehalose were found in all the mycelia and culture media; the prevailing organic acids were oxalic and fumaric acids, and protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were the most common phenolic acids; γ-tocopherol was the most abundant vitamin E isoform. Generally, the phenolic extracts corresponding to the mycelia samples revealed higher antioxidant activity. Concerning the antimicrobial activity there were some fluctuations, however all the studied species revealed activity against the tested strains. Therefore, the in-vitro bioprocesses can be an alternative for the production of bioactive metabolites that can be used by pharmaceutical industry.     

Effect of light and oxygen transmission characteristics of packaging materials on photo‐oxidative quality changes in semi‐hard Havarti cheeses

Changing transmission characteristics of food packaging materials by colouring the materials may be a suitable way of reducing photo‐oxidative quality changes. This study proved that packaging in black laminates provided the best protection of Havarti cheese, followed by a white laminate. However, transparent packaging materials did not protect the product in the critical wavelength range, i.e. 400–500 nm, and changes in colour and odour were already notable after few hours of exposure to fluorescent light. Additionally, secondary oxidation products, hexanal, 1‐pentanol, and 1‐hexanol, were formed in cheese packaged in transparent or semi‐transparent packaging materials. The expected effects of oxygen transmission were difficult to evaluate, due to high residual oxygen levels in the packages. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Silicon Migration from High‐barrier Coated Multilayer Polymeric Films to Selected Food Simulants after Microwave Processing Treatments

The use of microwave (MW) technology for in‐package food sterilization and pasteurization has the potential for widespread use in the food industry. Because the use of MW technology requires that food be processed inside its packaging, the interaction between food and its packaging during processing must be studied to ensure package integrity as well as consumer safety. In this study, two commercially available multilayer films developed for retort sterilization were evaluated for their suitability to MW processing. Film A was composed of oriented nylon//coated polyethylene terephthalate//cast polypropylene (CPP); film B consisted of oriented nylon//coated nylon//CPP with overall oxygen transmission rates <0.2 cc/m². day. Silicon (Si) was a major component in the coated polyethylene terephthalate layer and food‐contact CPP layer. This study evaluated the influence of MW processing on Si migration from films into selected food‐simulating liquids (FSLs; water and 3% acetic acid) using inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectroscopy, as compared with conventional thermal processing. This study also assessed migration of Si into FSL in terms of process temperature (70–123 °C) and time (18–34 min). A Fourier transform infrared spectrometer was used to evaluate the stability of the silicon–oxygen (Si–O) bonds in the metal‐oxide coated and food‐contact layer of the packaging film. Overall, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the level of Si migration from films to FSL and the stability of Si–O–Si bonds during MW processing as compared with the conventional thermal processing. However, we found that the final processing temperature and time had a significant (p < 0.05) impact on Si migration into the FSL. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anhydrides as antimycotic agents added to polyethylene films for food packaging

Incorporation of free acids or salts of antimycotic food additives, including propionic acid, benzoic acid or sorbic acid, into low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films failed to inhibit mould growth when the films contacted inoculated media. However, LDPE films into which benzoic anhydride was incorporated exhibited antimycotic activity when in contact with media and cheese. Benzoic anhydride, which had been added to LDPE film, was hydrolysed within 5h and detected as benzoic acid in potato dextrose agar (PDA) and cheese after contact with the film. LDPE films, into which 1% benzoic anhydride was incorporated, completely inhibited Rhizopus stolonifer. Penicillium spp., and Aspergillus toxicarius growth on PDA. Lower amounts of anhydride partially inhibited growth by increasing the lag phase and reducing the rate of growth in most cases. LDPE films incorporated with 0.5–2% benzoic anhydride delayed mould growth on cheese. These data suggest that addition of antimycotic agents to LDPE during film manufacture may be a feasible way of controlling surface mould growth in foods such as cheese.     

Erste vertikale In‐line Fertigungsanlage für OLEDs. New vertical in‐line solution for OLED production

The company Applied Films recently introduced a newly developed vertical In‐Line process for the production of Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs). The solution is caracterized by high throughput rates and efficient material utilization. Features which make the system appropriate for mass production. It is presently tested at the Dresden based Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems.     

Comparative Carbon Footprint of Packaging Systems for Tuna Products

The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the carbon footprint associated with canned tuna meat with a focus on packaging systems used to provide one single‐serve meal. The manufacturing process of retort pouches and cups produced 60% and 70% less greenhouse gas emissions, respectively, than that of metal cans. However, the overall carbon footprint of canned tuna in retort cups was 10% and 22% less than when packaged in metal cans and retort pouches, respectively. Packaging and its associated processing constituted significant fractions of the product's carbon footprint, ranging from 20% to 40%. Hotspots in the life cycle assessment of canned tuna are packaging production and disposal and product sterilization. The improvement of retort operation in terms of capacity and energy utilization and the efficiency of post‐consumption packaging material recovery are the key factors responsible for the reduction of a product's carbon footprint. These issues present a challenge to both the food industry and the local authorities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of alginate and zein films as a carrier of natamycin to increase the shelf life of kashar cheese

The aim of this study was to develop alginate and zein films containing natamycin, a natural antifungal agent, in order to limit/prevent the mould growth on the surface of kashar cheeses. The films were prepared by casting, and characterized in terms of antimicrobial and mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation-at-break, and elastic modulus), and their morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical properties of the zein films were found to be weaker than the alginate films. SEM analysis indicated that alginate films have a more regular structure than zein films, and a more homogenous distribution was observed at lower concentrations of natamycin. The antifungal activities of both films increased as the natamycin concentration (100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 ppm) increased; however, alginate films exhibited relatively high antifungal activity. The effects of films on the shelf life of kashar cheeses inoculated with Aspergillus niger and Penicillium camemberti were investigated during their storage under refrigerator conditions for 45 days. At high-natamycin concentrations, zein films showed higher antifungal activity against both fungi at the end of the storage period.     

冷冻食品加工企业能效评价

目前我国综合食品加工企业都使用单化产值的能耗量或能耗费用水衡量能耗的程度,山于这种指标没有反映出使用水平、营业水平和质量水平对企业、能效的影响,所以在企业之间能效比较时难以作出正确评价。文章以实例列举出国内外有代表性的大型综合食乩加工食品企业的能耗现状进行对比;分析了日前企业使用的能耗评价指标在横向比较、评价时出现错误的原因：提出了可反映使用水半、营业水半和质量水平新的能效评价方法,对国内六家有代表性的食品企业进行能效评价,结果移示食业之间能效芹芹十分显著,节能降牦提高能效成为食品企业迫切需要解决的问题。     

Transparente und leitfähige Veredelung von Kunststoffoberflächen

Deposition Techniques for Transparent Conducting Thin‐Films on Glass and Polymer Substrates We report on thin films deposited at atmospheric pressures on glass and polymer substrates with various techniques. The introduced thin‐film materials show intrinsic properties being suitable for different applications while maintaining the principle properties of the substrates themselves (e. g. shape. rigidity/flexibility, transparency). With the main focus on optical and electronic applications the properties of the deposited films can be adjusted by the choice of coating material (e. g. metal oxide, CNT), the film's shape (compact, particulate) and the deposition process itself. We compare deposition and properties of different TCO‐materials with CNT‐based thin film techniques and demonstrate approaches for the integration of these processes in production lines.     

Effects of deposition parameters on hardness and lubrication properties of thin MoS2 films

The purpose of the present study is the development of a sputtered MoS₂‐coating suitable for the use in humid atmospheres. Influences of the process parameters argon pressure, temperature, distance between substrate and target and bias voltage on tribological properties and hardness are presented. By means of these parameter studies, different microstructures with widely varying wear behavior were achieved. Life cycle tests show that exclusively basal oriented coatings with dense, non columnar structures show the highest durability and a hardness of about 400 HV 0.01. However, dendritic needle like structures show lower endurance and lower hardness (<100 HV 0.01). Films with a comparatively high hardness (up to 800 HV 0.01) exhibit lowest sliding distances until failure due to an appearance of spalling in the ball‐on‐disc tests. Those coatings also show a dense but amorphous structure and sulfur deficiencies. Consolidation during sputtering, i. e. film hardness and porosity, can be controlled by certain process parameters and is probably affected by varying amounts of internal stress.     

Active packaging as an opportunity to create package design that reflects the communicational,functional and logistical requirements of food products

The packaging of industrial food products is the most important means of transmitting a product's image and taste value. When the nature of its interface and its contents are the product of carefully planned imaging, the product has notable advantages in defining its image and product identity. Modern food trends dictate an ever‐increasing amount of services: The so‐called ‘functional packaging’ and ‘active packaging’ are prime examples of this service. The greatest innovation within this category of products consists literally of their interaction with food. These features create numerous fallbacks within all stages of the life‐cycle of a product, requiring a complex and multidisciplinary evaluation. The evaluation strategy of services which this packaging will offer to the consumer is still to be defined, and still to be identified within the key applications are the interests of the intermediary links of the production process. This requires the evaluation of the semantic and communicative aspects of the packaging which tend to be confused with the foodstuffs, the individualization of appropriate user profiles, control of logistical and location aspect of production, and a careful analysis of a comprehensive environmental balance, all issues that are parts of the objectives of the European project, Actipak. It is hoped, therefore, that the elaboration of these packaging systems will become a motive to try out a more knowledgeable and systematic design process for foodstuffs, in which innovative technology is used to provide effective benefits to the consumer. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of Allyl Isothiocyanate‐containing Sachets to Reduce Aspergillus flavus Sporulation in Peanuts

Peanuts are oilseed crops that are frequently infected by fungi (including Aspergillus flavus) that may produce aflatoxin, a highly carcinogenic mycotoxin. Conventional food packaging techniques can only prevent aflatoxin production to a certain extent. Therefore, the development of novel active packaging strategies to control post‐harvest sporulation by A. flavus is important. Essential oils from plants have antimicrobial potential, and one of the most powerful components is allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), the major component of mustard essential oil. Here, we aimed to evaluate the antifungal effect of AITC against A. flavus, develop an AITC‐containing sachet to control A. flavus sporulation in peanuts and quantify residual AITC in grains and package headspaces during a 90 day period. Diffusion and volatile susceptibility tests showed the in vitro effectiveness of AITC at 0.215 ppb against A. flavus. Because in vitro and real food assays may provide distinct antimicrobial efficiencies due to different compositions, sachets incorporated with AITC were stored with peanuts for 90 days at 25°C. A 10‐fold reduction in A. flavus survival was observed in 1 week, and after 60 days, survival was reduced by 4.81 log cycles. No residual AITC was detected in grains throughout the storage period, whereas volatile AITC within the package headspaces decreased with time: 92.4% of volatile AITC was reduced within the first 15 days, and AITC was no longer detected after 30 days. We proved that AITC retards A. flavus sporulation and that sachets are a promising delivery system for AITC to act as an antimicrobial agent for peanuts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effective application of Q(R) charts in low‐volume manufacturing

Q charts provide means for statistical process control in low‐volume processes and start‐up phases of production. Concerns on their performance have led to research into different types of enhancements and much discussion on the appropriateness of these. Driven by the aim to implement control charts in the low‐volume production of advanced wafer steppers, we investigate the performance of additional run rules and tightening control limits on the traditional Q chart compared with an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA). Furthermore, we develop an alternative QR chart based on the mean moving range as estimator of the process standard deviation and consider the economics of low‐volume processes by means of a specific cost model. The comparisons are based on the run length distributions after a permanent shift and trend, both with an onset early in the process. Real life examples are given for various important variables in wafer stepper production. It is concluded that the EWMA based on QR statistics provides the best performance throughout. Competing alternatives with almost equal performance are the EWMA of Q statistics and the combination of four tests of special causes (1‐of‐1, 2‐of‐3, 4‐of‐5 and 8‐of‐8) applied on either the Q or QR chart. Overall, the mean moving range performs better. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

筒子纱自动装袋系统结构设计与仿真

目的为了实现筒子纱自动装袋、提高筒子纱包装效率设计一种筒子纱自动装袋系统。方法模拟筒子纱用人工装入编织袋的工艺流程,进行自动装袋系统的机械结构设计,使装袋系统可实现供袋、撑袋、装袋三大功能。用Solid Works软件对装袋系统的各个功能模块进行三维建模,并进行虚拟系统装配。结果设计的筒子纱自动装袋系统可以实现3×4个筒子纱自动装入编织袋的包装过程,其结构简单、操作方便。结论筒子纱自动装袋系统的应用大大降低了装包工人的劳动强度,对筒子纱的全自动化包装具有重要的应用价值。     

Development of an analyser to determine the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the head‐space of packages

This paper describes the development of an analyser intended to measure the concentrations of CO₂ and O₂ present as part of the gas mixture in the head‐space of food packages. The efficiency of the measuring device was evaluated by analysing the atmosphere of packages containing the following food products: grated Parmesan cheese, milk powder and fresh pasta. A comparison between the results of the analysis performed with the newly developed analyser and those obtained by gas chromatography showed good correlation between the two methods. The O₂ and CO₂ analyser presented satisfactory accuracy (absolute error smaller than 2.5%, v/v) and precision (relative standard deviation varying from 0.2% to 8.5%). In addition, final results of the levels of both gas types present in the atmosphere submitted to analysis are obtained after about 2 min. The proposed analyser constitutes an alternative solution for the analysis of gases present in the head‐space of packages, especially when gas samples of very small volumes—about 200 μl—are to be used. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.