Evaluation of the combined effect of temperature and potassium sorbate on physicochemical and microbial quality of modified atmosphere packaged sliced Mozzarella cheese

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of storage (5°C) and abuse (15°C) temperatures and the addition of potassium sorbate (PS) on different quality attributes of modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) sliced Mozzarella cheese. It was observed that the temperature affected more significantly the cheese properties than the addition of PS in sliced MAP cheese. After 15 and 45 days of storage, the pH has decreased and the acidity has increased at 15°C. The instrumental color parameters were practically temperature and PS independent. Empirical equations that estimate the kinetics of change of the quality attributes in terms of the temperature, storage time, and PS were derived. Regarding the microbiological quality, the psychrotrophic bacterial population continued to grow during the storage independently on the treatment. Depending on the treatment adopted, LAB, yeasts and molds, and Escherichia coli population decreased during the period of 75 days of storage. Practical applications The results obtained in the current study provide a quantitative evaluation of the influence of these independent variables on cheese quality. Empirical equations that estimate the rate of changes in the physicochemical and microbiological parameters were derived and can be used to evaluate the shelf life of sliced MAP Mozzarella cheese subjected to different storage conditions. Such information can help consumers and industry to optimize storage parameters of the product.

Cracking spoilage in jar cream cheese: Introducing, modeling and preventing

“…However, the performance of this process is not perfect; actually, it is relative, and as a result, some spores in the contaminated milk pass through the device [ 8 ]. Therefore, the cheese industry has to use some preservatives to inhibit LBD in cheese, such as nitrate [ 9 ], sorbate [ 10 ], hexamethylenetetramine [ 5 ], polyphosphate [ 4 ] as the common chemical additives, and nisin [ 7 , 11 ] and lysozyme [ 12 ] as biopreservatives. Among these preservatives, nisin and sorbate are the most used types in the cheese industry.…”

Solubility and effective diffusion coefficient of CO2 in fresh cheese (type Minas Frescal)

“…The extension of cheeses shelf life using MAP is related with the choose of gas composition (mainly, a mixture of CO 2 and N 2 ) and it maintaining at appropriate concentrations in package (Akarca, Tomar, & Gök, 2015; Baldissera et al, 2020; Brown et al, 2018; Cabral et al, 2019; Gammariello et al, 2009; Jakobsen & Risbo, 2009). Normally, the headspace composition changes during shelf life of the product, it occurs because of CO 2 permeation through the packaging toward external atmosphere and CO 2 dissolution and diffusion within the food.…”