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The use of carbon dioxide in the processing and packaging of milk and dairy products: A review
Author(s) -
SINGH PREETI,
WANI ALI ABAS,
KARIM A A,
LANGOWSKI HORSTCHRISTIAN
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of dairy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1471-0307
pISSN - 1364-727X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0307.2011.00744.x
Subject(s) - modified atmosphere , carbon dioxide , shelf life , raw material , environmental science , preservative , food science , food packaging , flushing , raw milk , waste management , business , chemistry , engineering , biology , organic chemistry , endocrinology
The upswing in consumer demand for fresh and high quality preservative‐free foods has led to the development of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Increasingly, MAP is being used with high carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration as well as CO 2 /N 2 gas mixes. Modified atmosphere packaging or ‘gas flushing’ as it is also known is an increasingly popular technique used to extend the shelf life (both quality and safety) of a number of dairy products. Carbon dioxide is an active constituent of MAP, naturally present in freshly drawn raw milk. Addition of CO 2 to raw milk or flushing the package headspace has proved to be a simple and cost‐effective method, depending upon the initial microbiological quality of the food product. Carbon dioxide addition through MAP or direct injection as an economically affordable shelf life extension strategy is used commercially worldwide for some dairy products. The development of food packaging machines with integrated gas flushing capabilities and the supply of ‘food grade’ gases allow dairy foods manufacturers to enhance the quality of their products. This review presents a broad spectrum of current research and the current trends with respect to CO 2 as a natural microbial hurdle with special focus on its precise mechanism and its role in quality improvement of dairy products.