UNIVERSITY OF CAMERINOSchool of Pharmacy

Research Group of Food Quality and Safety

“IDEABRILL”and fresh food conservation

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FOOD PACKAGING

containing protecting marketing/communication

Fresh food and packaging

• The quality of fresh food needs to be preserved by its packaging• This often fails to occur• High quality packaging is necessary

FRESH FOOD: SHORT SHELF LIFE

SHELF LIFE OF FOOD

“SHELF LIFE”different definitions

“time that corresponds to a tolerable reduction in the quality of a product packaged under certain defined circumstances (packaging, transport, storage conditions, climate)”

SL=f (Fi, Pi, Ei)SL=Shelf LifeFi= food variablesPi= packaging variablesEi= environmental variables

MICROENVIRONMENTinside the packaging

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FRESH FOOD: MEAT

• Animal proteins• Essential amino acids• B group vitamins• Iron• Minerals

Important source of:

High content of H2O

• Ideal environment for bacterial growth

• Reduced Shelf Life

• Easy degradation(oxidation of lipids and myoglobine)

Constituents %Water 60-80Proteins 15-25Lipids 0.5-22Carbohydrates 0.5-1Mineral Salts 0.8-2Soluble nitrogenous substances

0.5-1

Vitamins A,D,B2, B6, PP

fatty acids ω−3

easy to digest proteins with high biological value particular composition of the lipidic fraction low cholesterol content

Prevention of cardiovascular disease

FRESH FOOD: FISH

The market demands more and more high performing times, methods and conservation systems

PACKAGING FOR FRESH FOOD

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Cellulose layer

Metallic layer

Polyethylene high density layerPE HD

Glue spots

IDEABRILL External layer

Internal layer

Polyethylene high density layerPE HD

Glue spots

Cellulose layer

CLASSIC POLY-COUPLED TRADITIONAL PACKAGING

External layer

Internal layer

TECHNICAL PROPERTIES

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Due to the metallization process, permeability to water and gasesvapors (O2, CO2) is at least 20-30 times lower than in classicpoly-coupled packaging

impermeability to light and UV radiation: this packaging discourages lipidic peroxidation reactions, protecting the food contained.

partial impermeability to gases: the packaging’s partial impermeability to gases decreases air exchanges with the atmosphere outside the packaging

TECHNICAL PROPERTIES

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FRESHNESS OF FOOD

BIOGENIC AMINES HEXANAL FATTY ACIDS pH

CHEMICAL

MICROORGANISMS aerobic and anaerobic

MICROBIOLOGICAL

May be evaluated using these markers:

SENSORYColour, smell, taste

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OUR STUDY OFIDEABRILL

and

RED MEATDRY-CURED HAMCOOKED HAMCHEESE

..since June 2009…

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BIOGENIC AMINES

Low molecular weight nitrogenous bases present in food are formed by:

• decarboxylation of amino acids (decarboxylase enzymes)• amination and transamination of aldehydes and ketones• metabolic processes of the tissues

TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS INDICATOR OF FOOD QUALITY

High BA concentrations represent arisk for food consumption

Gastrointestinal diseases Pseudoallergic diseases Migraines and severe headaches

A high AB concentration corresponds todeterioration of the food’s nutritional properties

EFSA: EuropeanFood Safety Authority

BIOGENIC AMINES AND FOOD

Meat Fish

Cheeses

Fermented beveragesMeat products

negative effects on the cardiovascular system, lowering blood pressure,skin irritations and allergic reactions

HISTAMINE

release of norepinephrine in the sympathetic nervous system,high blood pressure and headaches

TYRAMINE

SPERMINESPERMIDINE

food allergies

Storage in the fridge at 4 ° C

The meat rests onthe classic coupled wrapper

The HD sheet isplaced over the meat

“Poly-coupled” Packaging

The package is rolled up

The package is put in the "Ideabrill red rose“bag”

The package is heat sealed

IDEABRILL packaging

The meat rests onIDEABRILL

The HD sheet isplaced over the meat

The package is rolled up

Storage in the fridge at 4 ° C

BIOGENIC AMINES

At day 2, Ideabrill significantly inhibits growth of biogenic amines in comparison with poly-coupledpackaging: the difference in total amine content (spermine, spermidine, histamine) is about 12 mgper kg-1. In the days that follow, the total value of biogenic amines in Ideabrill is always lowerthan in classic poly-coupled packaging.

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 2 4 7

Ideabrill

Poliaccoppiato

mg kg-1

(n=3, RSDs <4%)

days

Meat stored in Ideabrill has a lower change in pH than meat stored in poly-coupled paper, guaranteeing better stability over time

pH

-0,4

-0,2

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

1,2

0 2 4 6 8

IDEABRILL

Poliaccoppiato

∆ pH

The pH of fresh meat is normally around 5.5

Changein pH

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The pH of fresh meat is normally around 5.5.

During storage of food in bags containing the normal mix of gases found in the atmosphere

(N2, O2, CO2), the pH of protein-based foods tends to increase as the free amino acids

normally present in meat decompose. In addition to decomposition of amino acids in

biogenous amines, other substances form (containing nitrogen and sulphur) which produce a

foul odour in the meat and contribute to the rise in pH (pH>5.5).

Measurement of pH during storage of fresh food is an important indicator of the state of

conservation of the food.

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62

64

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70

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0 2 4 7

IDEABRILL

POLIACCOPPIATO

days

mg kg-1

(n=3, RSDs <5%)

RESULTS OF STUDY CONDUCTED ON DRY-CURED HAM

TOTAL AMINES

Growth of biogenous amines is limited in dry-cured hamstored in Ideabrill

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RESULTS OF STUDY CONDUCTED ON COOKED HAM

Growth of biogenous amines is limited in cooked hamstored in Ideabrill

TOTAL AMINES

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40,0

50,0

60,0

70,0

80,0

90,0

100,0

0 2 4 7

IDEABRILL

POLIACCOPPIATO

giorni

mg kg-1

(n=3, RSDs <4%)

days

mg kg-1

(n=3, RSDs <

HEXANAL

characteristic marker of lipidic oxidation in food it is one of the most important volatile substances produced during oxidation

of linoleic acid

hexanal produces a “grassy” odour and contributes to undesiderable off-odours many researchers consider hexanal a fundamental marker for the oxidative

stability of meat

O

OH

O

oxidation

fatty acid ω−6O2

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Hexanal study conducted on cooked ham

The quantity of hexanal found in cooked ham stored in poly-coupled packaging at day 7 ismore than twice the quantity (53%) found in cooked ham stored in Ideabrill. Similarresults were obtained for dry-cured ham

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1

2

3

4

5

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0 2 4 7

ideabrill

poliaccoppiato

(n=3, RSDs<10%)

Rf

days

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Sensorial analysis

COOKED HAM

Colour

Odour

Touch

Differences were found from day 2, which were even greater at days 4 and 7

IB good

PP development ofrancid odour from days 3-4

IB softer

PP drier from days 3-4

IB good

PP yellow spots from days 3-4

DRY-CURED HAM

IB good

PP yellow spots from days 3-4

IB good

PP development ofrancid odour from days 3-4

IB and PP, very few differences

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0 2 4 7ideabrill 5,0 11,07 31,80 12,44Pack 5,0 12,15 138,35 15,65

HEXANAL (Rf)

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MEAT: IDEABRILL vs. PACK

0,00

20,00

40,00

60,00

80,00

100,00

120,00

140,00

160,00

0 2 4 7

ideabrill

real pack

days

Rfhe

xana

l

pack

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0 2 4 7ideabrill 0,9 2,8 3,5 7pack 0,9 3,4 4,9 16

HEXANAL

COOKED HAM: IDEABRILL vs. PACK

n=3, RSDs<13%

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2

4

6

8

10

12

14

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0 2 4 7

Ideabrill

real pack

Rf

days

pack

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IDEABRILL “FLAVOUR WINDOW BAG”

FOOD: “GRANA” CHEESE

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Principal products of lipidic oxidation of the fats present in food

Volatile compounds

Derived from triglycerides through processes of hydrolysis or rancidification reactions (ketonicon and/or oxidative)

O

3-methylbutanoic acid

SELECTED AS SHELF LIFE MARKERS

O

OH

O

OH

O

OH

O

OH

O

OH

Hexanal

Hexanoic acid

Butanoic acid

Ottanoic acid Decanoic acid

Fatty Acids

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Ideabrill “Flavour window bag” vs. plastic film

Free fatty acids: butanoic, isovaleric, hexanoic, octanoic, decanoic

Rf

week

n=3, RSDs < 15%

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2

3

4

5

6

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8

0 1 2 3 6

SCOPRIGUSTO

PELLICOLA

0,4000

0,9000

1,4000

1,9000

2,4000

2,9000

3,4000

3,9000

4,4000

0 1 2 3 6

SCOPRIGUSTO

PELLICOLA

0,4000

0,9000

1,4000

1,9000

2,4000

2,9000

0 1 2 3 6

SCOPRIGUSTO

PELLICOLA

Ideabrill Flavour window bag vs. plastic film

n=3, RSDs < 11%

n=3, RSDs < 9%

Involved in the development of rancid odour

week

Rf Butanoic acid

week

Hexanoic acidRf

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Study of volatile fatty acids confirmed the excellent quality of Ideabrill

packaging (fresh-preserver bag). As the graphs show, grana cheese packaged

in the fresh-preserver back develops less free fatty acids over time

(6 weeks after packaging); the grow faster in the cheese stored in classic

plastic film.

CONCLUSIONS

• significant inhibition of growth of biogenic amines in food• significant inhibition of production of hexanal marker of lipidic oxidation • maintenance of the food’s pH• limited production of free fatty acids during lipidic oxidation• maintenance of the sensory qualities of food over time

IDEABRILLpermits, for the foods analysed:

Helping increase theSHELF LIFE of fresh food

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CONCLUSIONS

HIGH QUALITY FRESH FOOD DESERVESHIGH QUALITY PACKAGING!

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Prof. Sauro VittoriDr. Veronica SirocchiDr. Giovanni CaprioliDr. Massimo RicciutelliDr. Filippo MaggiDr. Fabrizio PapaProf. Alberto CresciDr. Cinzia CecchiniDr. Magda ComanDr. Marco SpinosiDr. Pilar Vila DonatElisa Vittori student

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Research group: Food Quality and Safety

Silvia OrtolaniRoberta OrtolaniValeria OrtolaniMara OrtolaniMother Ortolani

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