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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Optimising Lactic Acid Cheese Packaging Systems

subject

description

On the basis of a previous research, it seems that foil-wrapped tray solutions are not particularly chosen by lactic acid cheese consumers. With relation to this study, almost half of the respondent population would have expressed the desire of different packages. Parchment packages and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/polyvinylidene chloride/poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) laminates would be removed by 25.0 and 12.5% of customers, respectively. Polyamide/polyethylene double and single packaging would be removed from the market only by 5.0% of respondents. Data have shown that cheese and packaging quality are dependent on lactic acid cheese surface microflora. The type of this microflora is particularly dependent on packaging air-tightness. Anaerobe microorganisms and their metabolites influence properties of packaging materials. On these bases, and considering customers’ requirements, a modified packaging system was elaborated. One strategy for optimising traditional packaging systems is the aloe incorporation into the packaging design. The proposed modification of cheese packaging system would include the coating of packaging surfaces (made of synthetic materials) with a thin layer of aloe aerosol and an edible layer, decomposed by lactic fermentation bacteria after a given period of cheese storage.