Effect of Oxygen-Absorbing Packaging on the Shelf Life of a Liquid-Based Component of Military Operational Rations |
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| Authors: | Carmen Gomes M Elena Castell-Perez Ezekiel Chimbombi Frederico Barros Dazhi Sun Jia Liu Hung-Jue Sue Peter Sherman Patrick Dunne Alan O Wright |
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| Affiliation: | Authors Gomes, Castell-Perez, and Chimbombi are with Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, author Barros is with Dept. of Crop and Soil Science, and authors Sun, Liu, and Sue are with Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX 77843, U.S.A. Authors Sherman, Dunne, and Wright are with U.S. Army Research, Development &Engineering Command, Natick, MA 01760, U.S.A. Direct inquiries to author Castell-Perez (E-mail: ). |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: Oxygen within the sealed package can reduce the quality of liquid‐based food products with high oil content such as hot‐filled meal‐ready‐to‐eat (MRE) cheese spread, a component of military operational rations. The aim of this study was to test a novel oxygen absorber‐containing laminate material and its ability to maintain and/or extend shelf life of a cheese‐spread MRE item. An iron‐based oxygen absorber (ABSO2RB®) activated by moisture was incorporated into the laminate and used to pack hot‐filled cheese spread MREs. The kinetics of oxygen absorption due to humidity and temperature were characterized and peel tests performed to ensure pouch seal integrity. Accelerated shelf‐life tests of ABSO2RB and regular MRE pouches without the O2‐absorber were conducted for 3 mo at 51.7 °C (125 °F), and 6 mo at 37.8 °C (100 °F) by measuring oxygen concentration (Mocon O2‐analyzer), microbiological, and physicochemical quality characteristics, including color, texture, moisture, free fatty acid (FFA), pH, water activity, and vitamins and A. Pouches stored at 26.7 °C (80 °F) for 12 mo served as calibrated controls. Consumer tests were conducted in‐house and a confirmatory sensory test was conducted at Natick by a trained panel using a 9‐point hedonic scale. ABSO2RB‐laminates maintain the same seal integrity and strength as those of the control samples. The headspace oxygen concentrations in these pouches reached (P < 0.05) < 0.5% in 11 d of storage at 26.7 °C (80 °F) and remained below this level throughout the storage period (1 y). No microbial growth (aerobic, coliforms, yeast, and molds) was detected (P < 0.05) for both packages. Overall, the ABSO2RB‐pouches indicate an improved reduction in oxygen and vitamin C retention compared with MRE controls and maintained product quality (physicochemical and organoleptic). ABSO2RB‐laminates met the accelerated shelf‐life requirement of 1 mo at 51.7 °C (125 °F), and 6 mo at 37.8 °C (100 °F). This study clearly shows the benefits of using active packaging technology on retaining nutrition and prolonging shelf life of high‐fat, liquid content MRE items. |
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| Keywords: | active packaging headspace laminate oxygen absorber rancidity |
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