Beneficial effects of polyethylene packages containing micrometer-sized silver particles on the quality and shelf life of dried barberry (Berberis vulgaris)

In this research, the effects of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) packages containing micrometer-sized silver particles (LDPE-Ag) on microbial and sensory factors of dried barberry were investigated in comparison with the pure LDPE packages. LDPE-Ag packages with 1% and 2% concentrations of silver particles statistically caused a decrease in the microbial growth of barberry, especially in the case of mold and total bacteria count, compared with the pure LDPE packages. The taste, aroma, appearance, and total acceptance were evaluated by trained panelists using the 9-point hedonic scale. This test showed improvement of all these factors in the samples related to packages containing 1% and 2% concentrations of silver particles in comparison with other samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Low-density polyethylene package containing micrometer-sized silver particles had beneficial effects on the sensory and microbial quality of barberry when compared with normal packing material.