Innovative Active Packaging Systems to Prolong the Shelf Life of Mozzarella Cheese

• Published in: Journal of dairy science 2007-05, Vol.90 (5), p.2126-2131
• Main Authors: Conte, A., Scrocco, C., Sinigaglia, M., Del Nobile, M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: active packaging; alginates; Animal productions; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; brining; Cheese - microbiology; Cheese - standards; Citrus - chemistry; Colony Count, Microbial; Dairying - methods; equations; food biopreservation; food biopreservatives; Food industries; Food Microbiology; food packaging; Food Packaging - methods; food spoilage; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; lemons; mathematical models; microbial quality; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; Models, Theoretical; Mozzarella cheese; new methods; new products; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; shelf life; storage time; Terrestrial animal productions; Time Factors; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.2006-709

In this work the effectiveness of different antimicrobial packaging systems on the microbial quality decay kinetics during storage of Mozzarella cheese was evaluated. Lemon extract, at 3 different concentrations, was used as active agent, in combination with brine and with a gel solution made of sodium alginate. Shelf life tests were run at 15°C to simulate thermal abuse. The cell load of spoilage and dairy functional microorganisms were monitored at regular time intervals during storage. By fitting the experimental data through a modified version of the Gompertz equation, the shelf life of dairy products packaged in the different systems was calculated. Results show an increase in the shelf life of all active packaged Mozzarella cheeses, confirming that the investigated substance may exert an inhibitory effect on the microorganisms responsible for spoilage phenomena without affecting the functional microbiota of the product.