73D-20 |
The use of Na2CO3-based CO2 absorbent system to alleviate pressure buildup and volume expansion of kimchi packages |
D. S. LEE1, D. H. Shin1, and H. S. Cheigh2. (1) Division of Life Sciences, Kyungnam University, 449, Wolyoung-dong, Masan, 631-701, South Korea, (2) Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University, 30 Jangjun-dong, Pusan, 609-735, South Korea
Kimchi, a lactic acid fermented vegetable dish is usually packaged without pasteurization and produces a lot of carbon dioxide inside its package during the storage and marketing. The overproduced CO2 from the stored products causes pressure buildup in rigid package and volume expansion in flexible package, even though a proper level of CO2 concentration in the package may contribute beneficially to carbonic fresh taste of kimchi. This study aims to develop an elaborated new CO2 absorbent system which has the controlled removal of CO2 from the kimchi packages to maintain their optimal levels of pressure and volume with proper CO2 accumulation in the headspace and kimchi juice. Various chemical CO2 absorbents were tested for their CO2 absorption capacity by the constant-volume method. A new CO2 absorbent, Na2CO3 was selected and studied in its reaction characteristics with CO2 gas under different conditions of application. A new CO2 absorbent system based on Na2CO3 was then designed and finally applied to kimchi packages. The sachet and plastic sheet containing Na2CO3 showed a good potential of CO2 absorption, which could be controlled by their water vapor and CO2 transmission rates. Na2CO3 could also be combined with zeolite in order to control CO2 absorption rate and equilibrium for its use conditions. When the combined CO2 absorbing material in forms of a sachet or expanded polystyrene sheet was attached inside the kimchi package, the reduced pressure buildup and volume expansion could be attained with some proper level of CO2 partial pressure. The developed absorbent sachet and sheet of Na2CO3/zeolite may be used for absorbing CO2 gas in the packages of fermented food products, such as kimchi, yoghurt and non-pasteurised sauerkraut, which produce CO2 gas under high humidity conditions.
Session 73D, Food Packaging
|