Antioxidant packaging material supplementary to N2-flushed modified atmosphere packaging to preserve powdered infant formula

Abstract

Abstract Antioxidant Al-laminated films were fabricated with incorporation of ascorbic acid or tocopherol at 0.3 % into the food-contact polyethylene layer. These films were tested in oxygen and water vapor transmissions under the state of N2-filled pouch and then submitted to packaging 200 g of powdered infant formula under modified atmosphere of N2 gas. The addition of ascorbic acid or tocopherol into the film reduced the apparent O2 transmission rate of the sealed pouch, probably due to O2-scavenging activity, but increased the transmission rate of water vapor through the sealing. Tocopherol-loaded film allowed the highest ingress of oxygen into the infant formula package during storage at 30 °C resulting in the highest increase of peroxide value, an indicator of product lipid oxidation. The adverse effect of the tocopherol-added film pouch is thought to have been caused by the compromised oxygen barrier of sealing during extended storage. Packaging the powdered infant formula in an ascorbic acid-added film pouch under N2 flushing could work as significant supplementary tool helpful to additionally suppress lipid oxidation. Other quality indexes of pH, acidity and bifidobacteria count did not change significantly during storage for all the treatments.