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H. Q. ZHANG, Food Safety Intervention Technologies, USDA ARS Eastern Rigional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, S. Min, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Univ. of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616-8598, Z. T. Jin, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Ohio State Univ., 2015 Fyffe Ct., 110 Parker Food Science Bldg., Columbus, OH 43210-1007, and Z. Ayhan, Dept. of Food Engineering, Mustafa Kemal Univ., Hatay, 31034, Turkey. Packaging materials and methods should be selected to meet the shelf life requirement of the products and be compatible with processing technology. The benefits of a nonthermal processing technology, such as Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF), can only be demonstrated and evaluated with appropriate packaging. The objective of this presentation is to outline packaging requirements for PEF processing and illustrate the effects of packaging to the microbiological and quality shelf life of PEF processed products. For a continuous pasteurization or sterilization process of liquid and pumpable foods, aseptic packaging is the best choice of packaging method. For high acid or refrigerated foods, Extended Shelf Life (ESL) packaging may also be used to demonstrate or commercialize PEF processing. A thermoforming, aseptic packaging machine was studied against a glove box bottle filler with various packaging materials, including glass, PET, HDPE and LDPE bottles, and thermoformed laminates. Test products included orange juice, apple cider, apple sauce and yogurt drinks. Microbiological shelf life was evaluated at refrigerated, room and elevated temperatures. Quality shelf life was evaluated at refrigerated temperature storage condition. Best product quality was obtained during storage with glass bottles, followed by aluminum foil laminates and PET bottles. Aseptic packaging is necessary to keep the microbiological shelf life stability at room and elevated temperatures. This review provides guideline to the researchers and industry as the packaging materials and methods needed to demonstrate and commercialize a novel processing technology.
Session 39, Advances in packaging technology required for implementation on novel food processes
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |