Synergistic effects of modified atmosphere packaging and cinnamaldehyde on bioactive compounds, aerobic mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria of pomegranate arils during cold storage

Abstract

BackgroundReady-to-eat pomegranate arils are very perishable. In this research, the effect of packaging with two kinds of films fumigated with cinnamaldehyde (0, 100, 150, and 200 μL L−1), evaluated on bioactive compounds and microbial contamination of pomegranate arils during cold storage.ResultsPolyethylene + polyester (PE + PES) film containing cinnamaldehyde, preserved lightness (L*), and chroma index (C*) as compared with biaxial-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film containing cinnamaldehyde. Anthocyanin content and phenolic compounds decreased during storage. PE + PES film containing cinnamaldehyde caused a significant delay in decreasing the trend of total antioxidant activity (TAA) during storage. The lowest number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and psychrophilic bacteria were related to PE + PES film containing cinnamaldehyde.ConclusionsPackaging with PE + PES film containing 200 μL L−1 cinnamaldehyde was the best treatment for preservation of bioactive compounds and extending the shelf life of pomegranate arils up to 25 days. This new packaging technique is promising for the preservation of pomegranate ready-to-use arils.Graphical