Evaluation and suitability of biomaterials for modified atmosphere packaging of fresh salmon fillets

An evaluation of the suitability of commercially available biopolymers on the shelf‐life of fresh salmon fillet was done. The comparison included two different types of biomaterials, poly lactic acid (PLA)‐based and starch‐based materials, and two traditional materials, amorphous polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene (APET/PE) and high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). Fresh salmon fillets were stored at 4°C in modified atmosphere (60% CO₂ and 40% N₂) for 5, 7, 9 and 14 days. The biomaterials have been briefly evaluated with respect to composition and mechanical properties. The effect of different packaging materials on bacterial growth, off‐odour, pH and colour was investigated. The traditional materials (APET/PE and HDPE trays) offered the best protection regarding the bacterial growth. A relatively high level (log 6 CFU/g) of total viable counts was detected after 9 days and 14 days for fillets stored in biomaterials and traditional materials, respectively. The level of lactic acid bacteria and H₂S producing bacteria followed almost the same pattern. Storage in traditional materials resulted in higher intensity of freshness (fresh odour) compared with the samples stored in biomaterials; after 14 days, the salmon stored in starch‐based pouches was regarded as having lower intensity of freshness compared with APET/PE trays and PLA‐based pouches. The opposite result was obtained regarding the colour of the salmon, where the biomaterials resulted in higher intensity of fresh colour compared with the traditional materials although the surface of the salmon at the end of the experiment was dry and unpleasant. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of packaging materials and storage conditions on bacterial growth,off‐odour,pH and colour in chicken breast fillets

A comparison was made of the effect of different packaging materials on bacterial growth, off‐odour, pH and colour of chicken breast fillets stored at 4°C. For one of the packaging materials, the effects of temperature (4°C and 8°C) and initial oxygen present (0%, 2% and 4%) on bacterial growth, off‐odour, pH and colour in chicken breast fillets were also evaluated. Chicken breast fillets stored in the packaging material with the highest oxygen transmission rate (OTR) measured at actual storage conditions had the highest bacterial growth and the highest degree of off‐odour. Chicken breast fillets stored in packaging material mainly consisting of expanded PET had similar bacterial growth and off‐odour as in the barrier display film (BDF) packages, despite a smaller headspace volume and lower initial concentration of CO₂. No differences in discoloration and pH of the chicken breast fillets, due to storage temperature and amount of initial oxygen present, were found when one of the packaging materials was studied. In the early phase of the storage period, Pseudomonas spp. constituted the majority of the total viable counts, while after about 12 days, lactic acid bacteria dominated. At the end of the storage period, both Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae were present in high numbers. Significant differences in counts of Brochothrix thermosphacta were only obtained with initial presence of oxygen. The storage temperature had greater impact on microbial growth and off‐odour than the initial presence of oxygen in the packages. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of active modified atmosphere on lipid and protein oxidation,moisture migration and quality properties of beef steaks

Fresh beef is a typically perishable food because of its high water and protein content; thus, it requires proper packaging condition and storage temperature to ensure its quality. In this study, the beef steaks were stored at 4°C under HiO₂ modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (78.8% O₂ + 18.8% CO₂ + 2.4% N₂) and HiCO₂ MAP (60.0% CO₂ + 40.0% N₂). The traditional air packaging (AP) and vacuum packaging (VP) were used as the controls. The total viable count (TVC), colour, water holding capacity (WHC), myofibrillar protein (MP) oxidation and lipid oxidation of beef meat were investigated. The moisture distribution and migration were also analysed using the low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). The association amongst all parameters was analysed by correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the TVC values in the HiCO₂ MAP (5.6 log CFU/g) steaks were lower than those of VP (5.9 log CFU/g), AP (7.0 log CFU/g) and HiO₂ MAP (6.3 log CFU/g) steaks because of the sufficient CO₂ after 15 days of chilled storage. The bright red colour and the higher WHC were maintained in the HiO₂ MAP steaks than in the AP group during storage. However, higher levels of protein and lipid oxidation also occurred. The beef steaks stored under HiCO₂ MAP had the lowest protein and lipid oxidation and highest value of immobile water content and WHC, however, similar to the VP group, the bright red colour was not shown. The moisture attributes (drip loss, cooking loss and P₂₃), protein oxidation (protein solubility and carbonyl content) and lipid oxidation (TBARS value) have shown a close correlation by correlation analysis and PCA. Overall, two different packaging methods of MAP can prolong microbial-shelf life and maintain higher WHC of beef steaks compared to AP and VP steaks, but higher oxidation level in HiO₂ MAP and unattractive colour in HiCO₂ MAP are concerns that need to be addressed.     

Influence of sorbed vegetable oil and relative humidity on the oxygen transmission rate through various polymer packaging films

In this study, the effect of a vegetable oil on the oxygen barrier properties of different polymer packaging materials [i.e. amorphous polyethylene terephtalate (APET), polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE)] was investigated. The influence of both relative humidity and the combination of relative humidity and sorbed oil on the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) was studied. Regardless of the relative humidity, the APET film remained an excellent oxygen barrier even after storage in rapeseed oil for 40 days. An increased OTR was observed in both the PP and HDPE films stored for 40 days in rapeseed oil. The OTR of the HDPE films was altered to a much greater extent than the OTR of the PP film. The OTR of the HDPE film was also significantly increased for films stored for 20 days in rapeseed oil. The increase in OTR of an HDPE film stored for 40 days in rapeseed oil was between 36 and 44%, depending on the relative humidity, compared to the OTR through the virginal polymer. The amount of oil sorbed by the polymer films used decreased in the following order: HDPE ? APET > PP.     

Pumpkin seed oil cake/polyethylene film as new food packaging material,with perspective for packing under modified atmosphere

Biopolymer packaging materials show increasing perspective in food packaging. Main limitation remains their high water sensitivity and poor water vapour barrier properties, compared to non polar materials of synthetic origin like polyethylene. In this paper, biopolymer layer obtained from by‐product of oil industry (pumpkin seed oil cake) was laminated on polyethylene in order to obtain new packaging material that would preferably combine water barrier properties of polyethylene and oxygen barrier properties of biopolymer composite material and perform satisfactory mechanical properties. Obtained two‐layer material showed good barrier properties for water vapour (7–8 g/m² 24h), as well as oxygen (12–45 cm³/m² 24h) and light. In addition, mechanical and water sensitivity tests were performed and results showed that new material inherited biopolymer film water sensitivity and mechanical properties with slight improvement. Measured tensile strength and elongation at break was 2–4 MPa and 150–250% in transversal direction and 6–8 MPa and 100–150% in longitudinal direction. Packing in modified atmosphere assay showed that new material can be used for this purpose with good control of oxygen concentration, while packing under increased concentration of CO₂ could be performed for shorter storage period. New two layer material shows promising properties for sensitive food packing under modified atmosphere conditions with reduced use of synthetic, oil‐based materials.     

Oxygen‐ and light‐barrier properties of thermoformed packaging materials used for modified atmosphere packaging. evaluation of performance under realistic storage conditions

The oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of packaging materials used for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of chilled products varies extensively with temperature, relative humidity (RH) and material thickness after the thermoforming of packages. Two different polymer combinations were studied: APET/PE (tray) and PA/PE (lid). A temperature reduction of 8°C (in the interval 7–23°C) caused an OTR reduction of 26–48% depending on material type, degree of thermoforming and RH. A 2–3‐fold increase in OTR was observed for PA/PE film when measured at 100/100% RH compared to 0/100% RH, whereas the APET/PE trays were not affected by RH. Increased OTR was observed as a result of material thinning; however, the increase was not always directly proportional to the degree of material thinning. Even very small amounts of oxygen have, in combination with light exposure, significant effects on oxidative quality deterioration of many products. Consequently, the changes in OTR observed in this study emphasize the necessity of evaluating the performance of packaging materials under realistic storage conditions, in order to estimate the real oxygen content of a chosen package solution. The light transmission through the packaging material was found to be reduced to 0–30% (300–800 nm) by dyeing of the lid and/or addition of labels. Thus, it is easy to protect the products from light, at least partly. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of PP‐based Nanopackaging on the Overall Quality and Shelf Life of Ready‐to‐eat Salami

A total of 1% nanoclay containing polypropylene (PP)‐nanocomposite and 1% nanoclay plus 5% poly‐beta‐pinene (PβP) containing PP‐active‐nanocomposite materials were produced and tested for packaging of sliced salami. The sliced salami was packaged using both nanofilms and multilayer film of PP/PA/EVOH/PE under vacuum, modified atmosphere packaging under 50% CO₂ and 50% N₂ and air and stored at 4 °C for 90 days. During storage, headspace gas composition; microbial, physical and chemical analyses; and sensory evaluation were performed. The antimicrobial effect of PβP containing nanomaterial was pronounced under vacuum, and no bacterial growth was observed for 75 days. An a* value decreased notably in all applications during storage and preserved best by the multilayered material under vacuum and high CO₂. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were 0.63 mg MDA/kg after the processing and gradually increased at all applications during increased storage. TBARS values of all vacuum applications were lower than that of modified atmosphere packaging applications. Rancid taste development was determined by sensory panelists when TBARS values were higher than 0.80 mg MDA/kg on the 90th day. There was no significant moisture loss, and no increase in hardness was determined during the whole storage time. The longest shelf life was 75 days for the sliced salami under vacuum and high CO₂ using the multilayer material. PβP containing nanomaterial provided 50 days of shelf life under vacuum, which is commercially considerable. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of a modified atmosphere masterpack for extending the shelf life of chicken cuts

Portions (about 1 kg each) of chicken leg cuts packed in low density polyethylene bags were arranged in masterpack barrier bags injected with two different kinds of modified atmosphere: 80% CO₂/20% N₂ and 70% CO₂/30% N₂. All the samples packed in modified atmosphere, as well as the control samples packed in air, were dark stored at 3±1°C. The shelf life of the products was evaluated on the basis of microbiological and sensory criteria. The shelf life of the samples with initial mesophilic and psychotrophic bacteria counts of 5.38 and 5.72 log CFU/g, respectively, and stored under 80% CO₂ was extended from 7 to 17 days, considerably longer than the shelf life increase achieved with the samples packed in a modified atmosphere containing 70% CO₂, which increased from 10 to 14 days. The odour changes observed during refrigerated storage of all samples followed a uniform pattern, starting with an odour of ‘old chicken meat’ which gradually developed into rancid and, finally, putrid odours. The detection of putrid odours was the basic criterion for rejection of the products and correlated well with the microbiological evaluation data. At the end of the shelf life the appearance of the samples was evaluated as slightly to moderately different from their appearance at the start of the experiment. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gravure‐printed colour indicators for monitoring Kimchi fermentation as a novel intelligent packaging

Gravure‐printed colour indicators on common nylon/polyethylene (Ny/PE) films were newly developed for kimchi (fermented vegetable products in Korea) packaging to examine the degree of fermentation of such products non‐destructively during distribution and sale. A printing ink consisting of Ca(OH)₂ as a CO₂ absorbent, bromocresol purple (BP) or methyl red (MR) as a chemical dye, and a mixture of polyurethane and polyester dissolved in organic solvents as a binding medium, was applied on Ny films by the gravure process and then laminated with PE films to form the printed indicator. During storage at 0, 10, 20°C, kimchi fermentation was assessed for titratable acidity (TA), and the colour of the indicators was determined as Hunter values and expressed as total colour difference (TCD). Although TCD value of the BP type indicator was slightly less than that of the MR type, colour changes in both the types of indicator correlated well to TA values of kimchi. The results suggest that gravure‐printed colour indicators have great potential as an intelligent packaging system for monitoring the ripeness of commercial kimchi products. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of multilayer films with improved aroma barrier properties for durian packaging application

The symmetrical A/B/A structure of multilayer blown films was fabricated in this study. The immiscible low‐density polyethylene/polylactic acid (LDPE/PLA) blend was set as a core (B) layer and LDPE was used as skin (A) layers. The compositions of PLA in the core layer were varied from 20 to 50 wt%. The thickness of each layer was 10 μm (total film thickness of ~ 30 μm). In a blown film co‐extrusion process, the morphology of the fiber/ribbon‐like structures of LDPE/PLA blend was developed. Such structures had interesting effects on gas permeability and aroma barrier properties of the films. For instance, multilayer LDPE films containing 40 and 50 wt% PLA (P40 and P50) showed the reduction of oxygen permeability (PO₂) approximately 20% and 43%, respectively, compared with the neat LDPE film. A long tortuous path for gas and aroma transportation through film thickness was created from the developed ribbon‐like structures of the PLA minor phase. For durian packaging application, fresh‐cut durian of 300 g was packed in the developed multilayer films, LDPE, and HDPE (Control), stored at 4°C for 7 days. Results demonstrated that the steady‐state condition of 10% to 13% O₂ and 8% to 10% CO₂ was achieved in all packages except in the HDPE. Moreover, the P40 and P50 films exhibited an outstanding aroma barrier property for three major durian volatiles : diethyl sulfide, ethyl propanoate, and 2‐ethyl‐1‐hexanol. Overall results clearly indicated that the multilayer LDPE films containing PLA exhibited a significantly improved aroma barrier performance with optimum gas permeability desirable for modified atmosphere packaging to retain quality of fresh‐cut durian throughout the storage period.     

Prediction of plastic film thickness based on gas permeability and validation with ‘Kyoho’ table grapes for optimal modified atmosphere packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) storage has become a useful technique for extending the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. However, the success of MAP depends on many factors, including types of fresh products, storage conditions, and the characteristics of the packaging films. To achieve the optimal gas composition in the package headspace and improve the postharvest quality of fresh produce, the packaging film with appropriate barrier properties needs to be selected. This study aimed to predict the film thickness by applying produce respiration rate and package film permeability data measured in given product weight and storage conditions. An available film (eg, 25‐μm‐thick low‐density polyethylene) was used to pack fresh produce, and the respiration rate of fresh produce and in‐package O₂ and CO₂ concentrations at steady state were measured. Permeability of the film was calculated based on mass balance, and the thickness of the film could be predicted if the recommended target O₂ and CO₂ concentration was obtained from the literature. To validate the predicted thickness value, an experiment was conducted by packaging fresh table grapes in bags of the predicted thickness. The effect of packaging with different film thicknesses on the quality of the fruit was determined. The results showed good agreement between the predicted and the experimental in‐bag O₂ and CO₂ concentrations, and the MAP with predicted thickness (90 μm) film was more effective in maintaining postharvest quality of grapes during low‐temperature storage than the thinner films (30 and 60 μm) and the control.     

Effect of the gas/product ratio and CO2 concentration on the shelf-life of MA packed fish

Rainbow trout and Baltic herring fillets were gas packed at two different gas/product ratios and two different CO² concentrations. Two reference samples were used; one frozen and one vacuum packed. Changes in gas composition in the gas packages, microbial and sensory quality, K values and drip formation of the fillets were investigated during storage at 2°C. A gas/product ratio of 100 ml/100g gas package was as effective as a vacuum package in preserving the microbial quality of fish and a gas/product ratio of 40ml/100g gas package was as effective as a vacuum package in preserving the sensory quality of fish.     

包装材料对肉类食品胀袋问题的影响与分析

目的 比较分析不同种类包装材料的性能差异对所包装肉类食品胀袋问题的影响。方法 以常见的用于包装烧鸡的PA/Al/CPP、BOPA/LDPE,包装猪蹄的PET/PA/CPP、PET/PA/Al/CPP,包装肉肠的PVDC共挤膜、BOPP/PVDC/PE等6种材料为试验样品,分别测试其揉搓前后氧气透过量、拉伸性能、抗穿刺性能、热封强度、密封性能。结果 样品阻隔性由高到低依次为PET/PA/Al/CPP、PA/Al/CPP、PVDC共挤膜、BOPP/PVDC/PE、PET/PA/CPP、BOPA/LDPE;揉搓后PET/PA/Al/CPP阻隔性仍较高,PA/Al/CPP耐揉搓性差,出现贯穿性针孔,揉搓前后BOPA/LDPE、PET/PA/CPP的阻隔性相差不大;BOPP/PVDC/PE拉伸性能较差,横向断裂伸长率仅为28.4%,且热封强度低,其余样品的拉伸性能、抗穿刺性能、热封强度均较好;PA/Al/CPP,BOPP/PVDC/PE成品包装分别在袋体折皱处、袋体与热封口处漏气,其余样品均未漏气。结论 耐揉搓性差、拉伸性能差及热封强度低分别是烧鸡PA/Al/CPP包装、肉肠BOPP/PVDC/PE包装发生胀袋的主要原因;阻氧性偏低易导致由BOPA/LDPE,PET/PA/CPP,PVDC 5层共挤膜包装的烧鸡、猪蹄、肉肠在长时间存储时缓慢胀袋。上述样品存在的问题主要与材质结构、铝箔层质量、材料生产及热封工艺有关。     

Effectiveness of modified atmosphere packaging in preserving a prepared ready‐to‐eat food

The effectiveness of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was evaluated for a combination prepared food (Korean braised green peppers with dry anchovies). From a preliminary storage test of the ready‐to‐eat dish at 10°C, the aerobic bacterial count on the green peppers was selected as a primary quality index. The effect of MAP with different CO₂ concentrations on the product quality at 10°C was also studied. MAP with a CO₂ concentration of ≥30% extended the lag time and/or reduced the growth rate of bacteria. Finally, the effect of different storage temperatures (5, 10, 15 or 20°C) on the shelf life of the product was investigated. Mathematical modelling of bacterial growth curves under stretch‐wrap air packaging and MAP with 60% CO₂/40% N₂ showed that MAP increased the hypothetical minimum temperature in the square root model that describes the temperature dependence of the lag time and growth rate. MAP conditions of 60% CO₂/40% N₂ extended the shelf life at 10°C by 130% (to 18.4 days) relative to that achieved with stretch‐wrap air packaging (7.9 days) based on the time taken to reach the quality limit of an aerobic bacterial count of 10⁵ CFU/g. The relative extension of shelf life achieved with MAP was greater at lower temperatures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

两种包装材料结合氩气保鲜对香菇品质的影响

目的 研究2种不同的包装材料结合不同比例氩气气调方法对香菇品质的影响。方法 把新鲜采摘的香菇清洗干净后晾干, 装入LDPE材料封口袋及PE材料封口袋中,充入不同比例的氩气,观察并测定各组香菇的呼吸强度、多酚氧化酶活性、褐变度、水分活度、总酚及抗坏血酸含量的变化。结果 选择LDPE为适宜的氩气气调包装材料,O2,Ar,N2的体积分数分别为10%,60%~90%,0~30%,此时对香菇的保鲜效果最好。结论 实验表明LDPE为最佳包装材料。在气调保鲜的过程中充入氩气,可以延缓香菇褐变的速度,降低多酚氧化酶活性的提升速率,同时使香菇抗坏血酸及总酚含量得以降低,也能延缓香菇呼吸速率的提升,使香菇的品质得以保证。     

Packaging materials for fermented milk: effects of material crystallinity and polarity on food quality

The ability of a packaging material to protect the food product and extend its shelf‐life depends on several material properties. In this work the effects of material crystallinity and polarity on the quality of fermented milk were studied. The fermented milk is a high‐quality Swedish product, similar to yoghurt. The quality of the food product was determined as a function of storage time by containing the liquid in pouches of different materials. The material crystallinity was varied by using very low‐density polyethylene, high‐density polyethylene and aluminium laminate as packaging materials. Aluminium was used on account of its ‘100%’ gas‐tightness. The polarity was varied by comparing an aliphatic polyketone with polyethylene of similar crystallinity. The carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen (O₂) contents in the headspace of the pouches were determined. The food quality was determined by measuring whey syneresis, viscosity and the content of desired Bifidobacteria, as well as of undesired yeast and mould. A trained taste panel determined the degree of acidity and of the sparkling taste. It was found that the content of CO₂ increased and that of O₂ decreased in the pouches with increasing degree of crystallinity and increasing polarity. The sparkling taste of fermented milk was a clear function of the headspace CO₂ content. The data presented here could thus be used to ‘design’ a package for a desired sparkling taste of the fermented milk by selecting a certain material crystallinity. Whey syneresis, viscosity and content of Bifidobacteria were found to be independent of pouch material. While the degree of whey syneresis and the viscosity increased with increasing storage time, the content of Bifidobacteria slowly decreased. The content of yeast and mould in the liquid was below the existing limit values for foodstuffs. The degrees of acidity and sparkling taste were highest for the liquids contained in aluminium and polyketone pouches, although the differences in acidulous taste between the various pouch materials were small. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Packaging materials for fermented milk,part 2: solute‐induced changes and effects of material polarity and thickness on food quality

This work is a continuation of the application of a developed methodology for the selection of packaging material for a specific food product, in this case the ‘demanding’ food product: fermented milk. The effects of different packaging material parameters on the quality of fermented milk were studied. Food quality after storage was determined as a function of material polarity and pouch thickness by storing the liquid in pouches of different materials. The material polarity was varied by using laminates with polyethylene, poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) with two different ethylene contents and an aliphatic polyketone. The effects of pouch thickness were studied using high‐density polyethylene films of different thicknesses between 25 µm and 200 µm. The interactions between the milk product and the pouch material were analysed by oxygen and water permeability, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and tensile testing. The CO₂ and O₂ contents in the headspace of the pouches were determined. The food quality was determined by measuring whey syneresis and the contents of Bifidobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, yeast and mould. A trained taste panel determined the sensory properties. The content of CO₂, and consequently the sparkling taste, increased with increasing polarity and/or pouch thickness. The CO₂ content was affected more easily by changes in material polarity than by changes in pouch thickness. The increase in whey syneresis and the decrease in Bifidobacteria content with time were independent of material polarity and pouch thickness. The contents of Enterobacteriaceae, yeast and mould in the liquid were always below existing limits for foodstuffs. A newly developed method was used by which the CO₂ and O₂ permeabilities of the pouch/packaging could be estimated, using the kinetics of the gas composition in the pouch headspace. Permeability values, as estimated by the method, revealed that the CO₂ production and the O₂ consumption rates of the fermented milk were dependent on the CO₂ and O₂ headspace concentrations. An increase in permeability, determined by conventional methods, suggested that both the non‐polar and the polar polymers were plasticized by fermented milk. The plasticization was, however, modest and undetectable when the polyethylene tensile test data were analysed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mass transfer from and through packaging materials

The use of polymer films for food packaging requires a knowledge of their transport properties under varying conditions. The permeability to gases and water vapour of the packaging films at the specific conditions of use, i.e. temperature, relative humidity and pressure gradient, are needed for selecting the optimum packaging system to ensure the required shelf-life of the packed product. Migration from, and absorption by, plastic films also play an important role in their selection. The 0₂ and CO₂ permeabilities of three plastic films at four different temperatures were evaluated and shown to follow the Arrhenius relationship in the range tested. The effects of four thicknesses of one film on its permeability are also reported. Three methods to evaluate migration from polymeric films were compared using different weight/volume ratios. The extraction method recommended by the FDA, using n-hexane in a stirred flask, was found to be best. The shelf-life of Matzoth (Jewish Passover bread) packed in polyethylene (stored at 25°C) was found to be longer than the shelf-life of those packed in the higher barrier PVDC/PE. This was apparently due to the absorption of undesirable oxidation compounds, given off from the Matzoth by the PE, which were not absorbed at detectable levels by the PVDC/PE.     

Effect of different modified atmosphere packaging on microbial quality,oxidation and colour of a seasoned ground beef product (meatball)

The effects of different modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on microbial quality, oxidation and colour of meatballs were investigated. Meatballs were prepared in our laboratory and packaged in vacuum or in different gases: combinations of O₂ (0, 2, 21%) and CO₂ (0, 33, 66, 100%) with N₂ as balance gas. Total microbial count, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and colour were determined during storage at 3°C for 3 weeks. Total microbial count remained unchanged at around 6.3 LogCFU/g in vacuum and 100% CO₂ packages after 7 days, and slightly increased afterwards. The microbial count was higher in other packages and increased to 7.6 LogCFU/g after 21 days storage. Oxidation was inhibited by reduced O₂ and increased CO₂ in the packages. Packages with low O₂ maintained colour (a‐values) to a greater extent than the packages with higher O₂ levels. MAP containing 1–3%O₂ with 33%CO₂ inhibited microbial growth, oxidation and colour change in meatballs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of γ‐irradiation on compositional changes in plastic packaging films

Sterilization of packaging materials for pharmaceutical or food products with ionizing irradiation can cause chemical and physical changes in polymer materials. The effects of γ‐irradiation on the formation of solvent extractable radiolysis products of six flexible packaging materials for foodstuffs and/or pharmaceutical applications were studied after treatment in a ⁶⁰Co‐irradiation plant. The polymer materials polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polyamide, polystyrene and poly(vinyl chloride) were investigated after treating with an irradiation dose of 44 kGy. The compositional changes in solvent extractable radiolysis products of each packaging material were quantified. In most cases the radiolysis products formed could be identified using GC/MS. The polyolefine materials (PE and PP) showed an increase of low volatile compounds after irradiation due to an oxidative decomposition of the polymer and typical polymer substances like oligomers and additives. Other packaging materials such as PET, PA and PS did not significantly change their amount of solvent extractable compounds after irradiation with 44 kGy. The PVC packaging material used in this study was not resistant to irradiation treatment at all. Because of the release of HCl during irradiation a large amount of volatile substances could be extracted from the PVC sheet. For consumer protection and also to meet general food packaging legislative requirements for irradiated packaging materials, it is necessary to evaluate the compositional changes in the polymers during irradiation, especially for irradiated polyolefines and PVC. Most attention should be paid to low volatile radiolysis products which are the most likely to migrate into a foodstuff or a pharmaceutical product. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.