Effects of packaging methods and storage temperature on shelf life of fermented rice cake

Abstract

The modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), sealing packaging (SP), and wrapping packaging (WP, control) were used for determining the quality and shelf life of fermented rice cake (FRC) at 10, 20, and 30°C for 4 days. The weight loss and moisture content of the MAP and SP samples were lower than those of the WP. After 4 days, the MAP samples had lower hardness than the WP at the same storage temperature. Based on the endotherm enthalpy, the staling rate of FRC decreased as the storage temperature increased. The total bacterial count of all samples increased significantly with increasing storage time and temperature. Furthermore, the sensory quality of the SP and WP samples decreased faster than did the MAP sample at 25°C. Compared with the WP and SP, the shelf life of the MAP sample was extended by 1–2 days. MAP was a more effective packaging method to prolong the shelf life of FRC. Storage temperature was the most important factor affecting hardness and microbial growth of FRC. Practical applications The results of this study can be used to guide the producers of fermented rice cakes to choose a reasonable packaging method, and to predict accurately the shelf life of the product at different storage temperatures.