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Shelf life of Stracciatella cheese under modified-atmosphere packaging
D Gammariello1, A Conte, S Di Giulio
1Istituto per la Ricerca e le Applicazioni Biotecnologiche per la Sicurezza e la Valorizzazione dei Prodotti Tipici e di Qualità, Università degli Studi di Foggia, Via Napoli, Foggia, Italy.
Journal of Dairy Science
|January 24, 2009
Summary
Modified-atmosphere packaging for Stracciatella cheese, specifically gas mixtures M1 and M2, effectively delays spoilage bacteria growth. This extends the cheese
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Microbiology
- Dairy Science
Background:
- Stracciatella cheese is a popular dairy product susceptible to microbial spoilage.
- Extending the shelf life of fresh cheeses like Stracciatella is crucial for reducing food waste and improving market availability.
- Modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a promising technique for preserving food quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of different modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) gas mixtures on the shelf life of Stracciatella cheese.
- To determine the impact of MAP on microbial growth and sensory acceptability.
- To compare MAP effectiveness against traditional packaging and vacuum packaging.
Main Methods:
- Stracciatella cheese was packaged using four different modified-atmosphere gas mixtures (CO(2):N(2):O(2)): M1 (50:50:0), M2 (95:5:0), M3 (75:25:0), and M4 (30:65:5).
- Control groups included cheese in traditional tubs and vacuum-packaged cheese.
- All samples were stored at 8°C and monitored for microbial growth and sensory attributes.
Main Results:
- Modified-atmosphere packaging, particularly mixtures M1 and M2, significantly delayed the growth of spoilage bacteria compared to controls.
- The tested MAP conditions did not negatively affect the beneficial dairy microflora of the cheese.
- Sensory acceptability of Stracciatella cheese was prolonged under M1 and M2 MAP conditions.
Conclusions:
- Modified-atmosphere packaging, especially with specific gas compositions (M1 and M2), is an effective strategy for extending the shelf life of Stracciatella cheese.
- MAP can preserve the quality of Stracciatella cheese by inhibiting spoilage microorganisms without harming the native microflora.
- This research provides valuable insights for the dairy industry to improve Stracciatella cheese preservation and reduce post-production losses.
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