Effect of Oxygen-Absorbing Packaging on the Shelf Life of a Liquid-Based Component of Military Operational Rations

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. E167 - E176
• Main Authors: Gomes, Carmen, Castell-Perez, M. Elena, Chimbombi, Ezekiel, Barros, Frederico, Sun, Dazhi, Liu, Jia (Daniel), Sue, Hung-Jue, Sherman, Peter, Dunne, Patrick, Wright, Alan O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.05.2009; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Absorption; active packaging; ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Cheese; Cheese - analysis; Cheese - microbiology; cheese spreads; chemical concentration; color; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified - analysis; food composition; food contamination; Food industries; Food Microbiology; food packaging; Food Packaging - instrumentation; Food Preservation; Food science; food storage; free fatty acids; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; headspace; high fat liquid foods; Humans; laminate; meal-ready-to-eat (MRE); microbial contamination; microbial growth; microbiological quality; Military Personnel; military rations; Oxygen; Oxygen - analysis; Oxygen - chemistry; oxygen absorber; packaging materials; physicochemical properties; pouches; rancidity; ready-to-eat foods; Sensation; sensory properties; shelf life; Solutions; storage quality; Studies; texture; Time Factors; Vitamin A - analysis; vitamin content; Water - analysis; water activity; water content; oxygen absorber; Oxygen; laminate; Absorber; Shelf life; Liquid; Food preservation; Oxygen effect; Headspace; Chemical composition; Conditioning; Active packaging; Rancidity; Military
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01120.x

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.