Gas Concentrations in Modified Atmosphere Bulk Vegetable Packages as Affected by Package Orientation and Perforation Location

A perforated plexiglass package box was used to study the effects of package orientation and perforation location on gas concentration profiles during modified atmosphere packaging of broccoli (Brassica oleracea) florets. Three package orientations and perforation locations were studied. Two temperature conditions were studied namely: constant temperature at 2°C and variable temperature between 2 and 20°C. Package orientation and perforation location affected gas concentration gradients across the package. Placing the package in a vertical orientation with perforation at the top side, resulted in higher gas concentration gradients in the package. Lower gas concentration gradients were obtained when the package was placed in a vertical orientation with perforation at the lower side. Temperature variation resulted in gas concentration fluctuation in the package.     

Using Numerical Analysis to Develop and Evaluate the Method of High Temperature Sous‐Vide to Soften Carrot Texture in Different‐Sized Packages

The high‐temperature sous‐vide (HTSV) method was developed to prepare carrots with a soft texture at the appropriate degree of pasteurization. The effect of heating conditions, such as temperature and time, was investigated on various package sizes. Heating temperatures of 70, 80, and 90 °C and heating times of 10 and 20 min were used to evaluate the HTSV method. A 3‐dimensional conduction model and numerical simulations were used to estimate the temperature distribution and the rate of heat transfer to samples with various geometries. Four different‐sized packages were prepared by stacking carrot sticks of identical size (9.6 × 9.6 × 90 mm) in a row. The sizes of the packages used were as follows: (1) 9.6 × 86.4 × 90, (2) 19.2 × 163.2 × 90, (3) 28.8 × 86.4 × 90, and (4) 38.4 × 86.4 × 90 mm. Although only a moderate change in color (L*, a*, and b*) was observed following HTSV cooking, there was a significant decrease in carrot hardness. The geometry of the package and the heating conditions significantly influenced the degree of pasteurization and the final texture of the carrots. Numerical simulations successfully described the effect of geometry on samples at different heating conditions.     

Ohmic Heating of an Electrically Conductive Food Package

Ohmic heating through an electrically conductive food package is a new approach to heat the food and its package as a whole after packing to avoid post‐process contamination and to serve consumer needs for convenience. This process has been successfully completed using polymer film integrated with an electrically conductive film to form a conductive package. Orange juice packed in the conductive package surrounded with a conductive medium was pasteurized in an ohmic heater. A mathematical model was developed to simulate the temperature distribution within the package and its surroundings. A 3‐D thermal‐electric model showed heating uniformity inside the food package while the hot zone appeared in the orange juice adjacent to the conductive film. The accuracy of the model was determined by comparing the experimental results with the simulated temperature and current drawn; the model showed good agreement between the actual and simulated results. An inoculated pack study using Escherichia coli O157:H7 indicated negative growth of viable microorganisms at the target and over target lethal process temperatures, whereas the microorganism was present in the under target temperature treatment. Consequently, our developed ohmic heating system with conductive packaging offers potential for producing safe food.     

Computer Simulation of Storage Stability in Intermediate Moisture Apples

A computer simulation model was developed to predict storage stability of packaged intermediate moisture apples (IMA) stored under fluctuating temperature. The simulation model included: one dimensional heat and mass transfer equations with appropriate boundary conditions, models for chemical reactions, and growth/no growth regions for E. amstelodami and S. rouxii. Experimental and computer predicted results showed good agreement with each other. An external temperature fluctuation did not cause local moisture differences within the package. This was due to a large difference in the order of magnitude between thermal and moisture diffusivities of the material considered in this study.     

Quality of enoki mushrooms as affected by packaging conditions

Fresh enoki mushrooms (100 g) were packaged under various conditions and stored at 10 °C for 14 days. Package atmosphere, weight loss, stipe elongation, surface colour and sensory quality of the mushrooms were measured during storage. Different levels of initial vacuum application did not have a significant influence on the in‐package atmosphere after 2 days. The half‐vacuum package was best in terms of quality preservation of the fresh mushrooms. A polyolefin film with respective gas permeabilities of 166 and 731 ml m⁻² h⁻¹ atm⁻¹ to O₂ and CO₂ established an equilibrated atmosphere of 1.7–2.4% O₂ and 4.1–5.6% CO₂ inside the package at 10 °C. This polyolefin film was shown to contribute to preserving the freshness of the mushrooms. Temperature fluctuations between 5 and 15 °C did not induce a harmful atmosphere inside the polyolefin package, though high temperatures accelerated the quality loss. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

EFFECT OF HEATING ON RESIDUAL CARBON MONOXIDE CONTENT IN CO-TREATED TUNA AND MYOGLOBIN

Carbon monoxide (CO) can be used by food manufacturers to retain the red color of meat or dark fish prior to vacuum packaging or in the modified atmosphere packaging. Yellowfin tuna steak (c. 1.5 cm) was treated with CO gas, then packaged in a vacuum bag and heated at a constant temperature ranging from 50 to 100C for 30 min. A myoglobin (Mb) solution was prepared from tuna dark muscle and purged with CO gas for comparison. The released CO concentration and the residual CO in the tuna flesh or Mb solution were measured by gas chromatography. The higher level of CO concentration in the vacuum bag from CO‐treated tuna was found for conditions with temperatures above 80C. The content of residual CO in the CO‐treated tuna steaks after heating was much higher than that in untreated flesh. Regardless of the temperature of heating, a ratio of 58–82% CO was released from Mb solution after heating. This suggested that MbCO was not completely dissociated by heating at temperatures ranging from 50 to 100C.     

Monitoring the sensorial and microbiological quality of pasteurized white asparagus at different storage temperatures

Changes in sensory quality and proliferation of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in pasteurized white asparagus were measured as a function of storage temperature. The main sensorial attributes studied with regard to storage time were the general appearance of the product, turgidity and package swelling. There was a significant correlation between the deterioration in sensorial quality and microbial evolution, which was even more marked at higher temperatures. After 13 days at 4°C, 6 days at 10°C, 5 days at 20°C and 84 h at 30°C organoleptic deterioration and, consequently, the end of shelf life were detected. A significant growth of spoilage flora was observed, which might be responsible for the drop in pH levels during the final period of analysis (from 6.3 to 3.5–4 until 148 h). There was greater lactic acid bacteria (LAB) growth as the temperature and CO₂ concentration increased, reaching a final concentration of approximately 10⁸ CFU g^?1 at all temperatures. We found no positive samples of Clostridium spp at 10 and 4°C. Among the species isolated at 20–30°C Clostridium septicum and in lower proportions Clostridium perfringens were encountered. The possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes was analyzed, but there were no positive samples in the final product. Pasteurized white asparagus maintains good organoleptic characteristics with a relatively long shelf‐life at low temperatures, which leads to an adequate acceptance among consumers. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Ethylene production,respiration and gas exchange modelling in modified atmosphere packaging for banana fruits

A mathematical model was developed from experimental measurements to describe the evolution of the O₂, CO₂ and ethylene in a modified atmosphere packaging system for Cavendish bananas. The respiration and ethylene production in the fruits were experimentally obtained from a closed system method and then represented by Michaelis–Menten equations of enzyme kinetics. The gas transfer through the packaging was described by a Fick's diffusion equation, and the temperature dependence was represented based on the Arrhenius law. The model was validated by packaging the fruit in perforated bags of polypropylene and low density polyethylene at 12 °C for a period of 8 days. With the developed model it was possible to satisfactorily describe the experimental evolution of the gas content in the headspace of the packages, obtaining coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.93 for the O₂ levels, 0.90–0.91 for the CO₂ levels, and 0.89–0.93 for the ethylene levels.     

Performance of a photochromic time–temperature indicator under simulated fresh fish supply chain conditions

The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of a photochromic time–temperature indicator (TTI) under dynamic temperature conditions simulating real fresh fish distribution chain scenarios. The work aimed at testing the possibility of extending the application of the TTI kinetic model, developed for specific temperature range of isothermal conditions, at low temperatures. The results showed that the TTI presented reproducible responses after being charged and during the discolouration process under different conditions, which revealed the reliability of the indicator. The TTI reflected well the temperature conditions of the studied scenarios, which indicates its potential application to continuously monitor the temperature history of the fresh fish supply chain. The kinetic model gave good fits in non‐abused scenarios at temperatures below 2 °C, presenting the potential for application of the model in determining the right charging level to suit a product’s shelf life at low temperatures.     

Modelling the gas exchange rate in perforation-mediated modified atmosphere packaging: Effect of the external air movement and tube dimensions

Perforation-mediated modified atmosphere packages control the gas exchange rate and thus the internal atmosphere composition by judicious choice of dimensions of small tubes in perforations in an otherwise hermetic container. The aims of this work were (i) to study the effect of external turbulence on the gas exchange rate through small perforations, (ii) to develop a mathematical model to predict the effect of tube dimensions and hydrodynamic conditions on gas exchange coefficients, and (iii) validate the model developed during the storage of shredded carrots. Different hydrodynamic conditions in the controlled temperature room due to the storage temperature settings (5, 10 and 15 °C) and PVC tubes dimensions (diameter from 1.5 to 4.5 mm length from 2.0 to 6.0 mm) were tested. Results showed that, as expected, hydrodynamic conditions (induced turbulence) and tube diameter had a significantly positive effect on the mass transfer values, whereas tube length had a negative effect. The permeability ratio between CO₂ and O₂ was 0.83 ± 0.01 and did not show any pattern with the factors tested. The gas exchange coefficients increased with decreasing temperature, as the establishment of lower temperatures implied a frequent air movement. A mathematical model to estimate changes of gas composition over time as a function of tube dimensions and hydrodynamic conditions was developed and found to have good predictive abilities. The model was validated during the storage of shredded carrots at 5 °C in PM-MAP, showing a good agreement between the experimental and predicted gas exchange of O₂ and CO₂. The results obtained in this work showed that hydrodynamic conditions of the cold storage room affected the gas exchange rate in PM-MAP.     

OVERALL HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS AND AXIAL TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION IN A TRIPLE TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER

Computation of overall heat transfer coefficients in a triple tube heat exchanger (TTHE) is more complicated than in the case of a double tube heat exchanger (DTHE) as the two overall heat transfer coefficients are not independent of one other. A new procedure was developed to calculate these overall heat transfer coefficients and an effective overall heat transfer coefficient value for known inlet and outlet temperatures, and heat capacities of the fluids (product and heating/cooling medium). In this study, this newly developed procedure was utilized and the overall heat transfer coefficients and axial temperature distribution of fluids were computed for a cooling process for different flow rates and inlet temperatures of the fluid streams. The effectiveness of the TTHE was compared to that of a DTHE of identical length. It was observed that when the fluids were flowing in a cocurrent manner, the temperature of the cooling medium with lower heat capacity exceeded the temperature of the product before the fluids exit the TTHE, which caused a decrease in the effectiveness of the TTHE.     

Coupling osmotic dehydration with heat treatment for green papaya impregnated with blackberry juice solution

Slices (1.5 mm thick) of green papaya were impregnated through osmotic dehydration with a blackberry juice–sucrose solution to produce an intermediate moisture product. The effect of processing temperature (T) and sucrose-added molality (m_sucrose) on mass transfer during the operation was assessed, using a response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM was used to model water loss, sugar and anthocyanin gain during the process. Increasing sucrose molality resulted in increasing water loss and sugar gain, but decreasing anthocyanin gain. Water transfer therefore limits anthocyanin impregnation, but not sucrose incorporation. Afterwards, the impact of heat treatment at high temperatures was analysed, using numerical simulation. The conditions of the combined process, designed to achieve an anthocyanin-rich final product, are low sucrose-added molalities (sucrose molality < 1 mol kg^–1) and high processing temperatures (T > 50 ºC) for osmotic dehydration, coupled with high-temperature, short-time (HTST) heat treatments for product stabilisation.     

Gas exchange dynamics in modified atmosphere packaging of soft cheese

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is a shelf-life extension technique that has been widely applied to horticultural, meat and dairy products. It relies on the interaction between product, packaging material and environment, which determines the gas composition inside the package at steady state. Therefore, MAP design needs to take into consideration O₂ consumption and CO₂ production rates of the product and the mass transfer coefficients for the gas exchange through the packaging material and how they are affected by environmental factors such as storage temperature. In this work, a mathematical model was developed for designing MAP systems for a soft cheese (camembert-type). The model was used to evaluate the effect of perforations on O₂ and CO₂ concentrations of package containing cheese, at constant and varying storage temperatures. The predicted gas composition was compared with those obtained experimentally at 293 and 285 K with packages having different numbers of perforations (1), (2) and (3). Experimental values of gas composition observed at steady state with one perforation were 0.050 and 0.148 (v/v) at 285 K for O₂ and CO₂ respectively, and 0.003 and 0.207 (v/v) at 293 K. Gas composition was found to take values between 0.009–0.058 for O₂ and 0.154–0.200 for CO₂, when the packages with a single perforation were exposed to storage temperature varying between 285 and 293 K during 14 days of storage. The model developed was able to accurately predict the gas exchange dynamics of the package throughout the storage period whether the temperature of storage was constant or not.     

HIGH PRESSURE–HIGH TEMPERATURE STERILIZATION: FROM KINETIC ANALYSIS TO PROCESS VERIFICATION†

The inactivation of Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 spores by high pressure at high temperatures (HP–HT) in phosphate buffer was investigated in a lab‐scale temperature‐controlled HP system (QFP‐6) with an internal heater to maintain the sample temperature. Some inactivation of spores occurred during the pressurization come‐up time (CUT) and depressurization time. The inactivation of PA 3679 was found to be exponential during the adiabatic holding period of the HP cycle at constant pressures and temperatures. The inactivation rate increased with both pressure and temperature. The kinetic parameters – such as D‐values at tested temperatures and pressures that are necessary for the design of process parameters of HP sterilization process – were determined. Within the pressure range of 600–800 MPa, the calculated D‐values ranged from 270.3 to 357.4 and 49.0 to 67.6 s at 91 and 108C, respectively. These studies provided basic data on the effects of pressure and temperature on the inactivation of PA 3679 spores under conditions applicable to the development of preservation specifications for commercial HP–HT processing of low acid foods. The spore strips of C. sporogenes were used as indicators for microbiological verification of delivered lethality of HP–HT sterilization process at different processing conditions in a pilot scale HP vessel.     

An electron spin resonance study of radicals induced by radiation in oat (Avena sativa L.)

A detailed electron spin resonance (ESR) investigation of the spectroscopic features and kinetic behaviours over a range of temperatures of the long‐life free radicals induced in a sample of ground oat that had been irradiated with γ‐radiation is reported. Unirradiated ground oat exhibited a weak, broad single‐line ESR spectra centered at g = 2.0048 ± 0.0008. The structure of this radical is unknown and is assigned as radical III in this work. The γ‐irradiation of oats yields radical III and other radical species. Although all these species are stable at 77 K, some of them are very unstable at room temperature. A model based on three radical species (designated I, II and III) was used to describe the room temperature spectra of their decay at room and at high temperatures. Annealing studies at six different temperatures were used to determine the kinetic behaviour and activation energies of the radicals induced by radiation. A dose–response curve was also constructed and it was concluded that ground oat is potentially a good dosimetric material. The presence of an ESR signal after a storage time of 90 days was interpreted as providing an opportunity to distinguish irradiated from unirradiated oats.     

Critical evaluation of viscometrically determined pasting temperatures in barley malt

Modern varieties of malting barley allow mashing to proceed efficiently to enable saccharification and other biochemical processes. A prerequisite for starch hydrolysis is the disruption of starch granule structure by exceeding a grain specific pasting temperature. For grains, several viscometric methods based on the Rapid‐Visco‐Analyser were developed to determine variations in the pasting temperature reproducibly. Absolute pasting temperatures, as they are necessary to optimize the isothermal mashing process, cannot be determined owing to constructional and data evaluation related limitations. The aim of this research is to investigate and compensate for temperature deviations caused by standard data evaluation and lagging heat transfer from the heating unit into the sample. Accordingly, an improved determination of the pasting onset and a formula to compensate for temperature lags were developed. The optimized data leads to more accurate and reduced pasting temperatures compared with the standard method. The heat transfer was reproducibly quantified (Δϑ : 2.9–5.8°C) and integrated into a compensation formula (R ² = 0.99). It was found that the lag is strongly dependent on the actual sensor temperature but independent of the unpasted sample's initial viscosity. The results were applied on viscometric analyses (n  = 161) to calculate the intrinsic pasting temperatures of barley malt. The determined temperature range is considerably lower than anticipated (56.7–60.5°C). Winter barley exhibits significantly lower pasting temperatures. The outcome of this work can be used to improve the accuracy of prospective analysis and to correct already existing viscometric raw data. Copyright © 2017 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

LIQUID–SOLID EXTRACTION OF SOLUBLE SOLIDS AND TOTAL PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS OF CAROB BEAN (Ceratonia siliqua L.)

Total mass transfer coefficients of soluble solids (SS) and total phenolic compounds (TPC) were determined during carob extraction. The Arrhenius equation was applied to determine the efficiency of process temperature, as an alternative approach to Fick's second law. Carob pod, cut into small pieces (internal diameter: 5–7 mm), was contacted with water in batch system to extract SS by continuous circulation of water at different temperatures (20, 50 and 85C). The process was also performed at 85C using an industrial‐scale extractor. Activation energies for both SS and TPC diffusions were calculated as 5.84 and 0.072 × 10^?3 kJ/mol, respectively. As expected, higher extract concentrations were achieved with higher temperatures. In contrast, high extraction temperature, even at 85C, did not cause hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation. As the increase in temperature does not affect formation of HMF during carob pod extraction, higher operational temperatures such as 80–90C may be applied to obtain higher solute concentrations.     

Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Cut Belgian Endives

ABSTRACT: Modified atmosphere packaging of cut Belgian endives was simulated based on experimentally determined package and product parameters. Permeability of commercial packaging films was determined at 3 temperatures. The film permeability ratio for CO₂ and O₂ varied between 1.6 and 6. Respiration rate of cut Belgian endives stored under 10%O₂-10%CO₂-80%N₂ (optimal gas conditions) was measured at different temperatures. Initially, the activation energy for respiration rate was higher compared to the one for film permeability. After 3 d of storage, the E_a-value for respiration rate was similar to the E_a-value for film permeability. Simulations at constant temperature proved that none of the packaging films tested was suitable to maintain optimal gas conditions.     

Modeling and Prediction of Visual Shelf Life of Minimally Processed Endive

A shelf life plot of cut endive stored under different temperature (1 to 16°C) and gas conditions (air, 11% and 19% CO₂) was established by modeling the binary response of a consumer panel against storage time through a (linearized) log function. At the highest and lowest storage temperatures, the effect of the gas mixture on shelf life was negligible (Fisher's Exact test). The models of Thorne and Meffert, Arrhenius and Ratkowsky were evaluated to describe the effects of temperature on shelf life. The model of Thorne and Meffert was validated under dynamic conditions. Differences in predicted and observed shelf life were attributed to unreliability of judgment of visual shelf life.     

Browning,polyphenol oxidase activity and headspace gas composition during storage of minimally processed pears using modified atmosphere packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging was used to prevent browning of minimally processed Conference pears, thus extending their shelf‐life. Colour changes as well as PPO activity were strongly influenced by the package headspace gas composition, which was determined by the packaging conditions. The initial colour of minimally processed pears was preserved for several weeks under cold storage in plastic pouches of very low O₂ permeability and an initial atmosphere of 100% N₂. A fractional conversion kinetic model fitted the experimental browning data with high accuracy. Colour degradation (ΔE*) of minimally processed pears occurred exponentially (k_ΔE = 0.019–0.077 day^?1) owing to changes in lightness (k_L = 0.021–0.07 day^?1). In contrast, PPO exhibited a linear increase in activity which could be related to the availability of O₂ in the package headspace. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry