Shelf life extension of bread using ethanol emitters with different packaging materials

Abstract

Ethanol emitters (EEs) in packaging is one of the innovative active packaging concepts. This study aimed to develop various concentrations of EEs and study their packaging effects on the shelf life extension of bread packed in different packaging materials, such as bioplastic (BP) and polypropylene (PP). The study revealed a significant increase in the total color changes of bread packed with different EE treatments, during storage. The moisture content of bread during storage varied from 12.41% to 27.54% for BP packaging material and 27.54%–24.15% for PP packaging material. During the storage period, the water activity of the bread samples gradually decreased from 0.96 to 0.61. The highest firmness was obtained in T3 BP packaging material (14.79 g), followed by T2 BP (14.09 g), T1 BP (13.56 g), T3 PP (13.10 g), T2 PP (12.06 g), and T1 PP (11.75 g), respectively. Statistically significant differences (p < .05) were observed in all the parameters among the bread samples with respect to storage period, packing material, and EEs. Practical applications Active packaging is a concept in the field of food packaging that has been developed to extend the shelf life of a product. Bakery products are perishable, and active systems (ethanol emitters) can help to improve their food quality and extend the shelf life.