Developing an Active Biodegradable Bio-Based Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging Containing a...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Conventional food packaging often relies on petrochemical-based plastics, contributing to environmental concerns.
• Extending the shelf-life of fresh produce like cherry tomatoes is crucial for reducing food waste and improving food accessibility.
• Active modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP) offers a promising approach to enhance food preservation by incorporating functional components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an active biodegradable bio-based equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP) incorporating a carvacrol-emitting sachet.
• To assess the efficacy of this novel packaging (PLA-PHB-CARV) in extending the shelf-life of cherry tomatoes at different temperatures (15 °C and 25 °C).
• To compare the performance of the developed packaging against conventional polypropylene (PP) and a non-active polylactic acid (PLA) packaging.

Main Methods:

• Development of a polylactic acid (PLA) based EMAP with a poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) sachet releasing carvacrol.
• Storage of cherry tomatoes in PLA-PHB-CARV, PP, and PLA packaging at 15 °C and 25 °C for 20 days.
• Comprehensive analysis of quality parameters including weight loss, decay, microbial counts (TVC), pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), color, texture, and sensory attributes.

Main Results:

• The PLA-PHB-CARV packaging significantly reduced decay (40% vs. 97% in PP at 25 °C) and weight loss compared to PP and PLA.
• Ripening was notably delayed in PLA-PHB-CARV at 25 °C, evidenced by inhibited TSS accumulation and retained red color.
• Carvacrol in the active packaging inhibited total viable counts (TVC) by approximately 2.0 log CFU/g at 25 °C, with a less pronounced effect at 15 °C.

Conclusions:

• The developed active biodegradable EMAP (PLA-PHB-CARV) effectively extends cherry tomato shelf-life by reducing spoilage and delaying ripening.
• This advanced packaging system presents a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, offering significant potential for reducing food waste.
• The findings suggest broad applicability for this active EMAP in preserving other fruits with similar respiration rates.