Oxygen- and light-barrier properties of thermoformed packaging materials used for modified atmosphere packaging. evaluation of performance under realistic storage conditions

Abstract

The oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of packaging materials used for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of chilled products varies extensively with temperature, relative humidity (RH) and material thickness after the thermoforming of packages. Two different polymer combinations were studied: APET/PE (tray) and PA/PE (lid). A temperature reduction of 8°C (in the interval 7-23°C) caused an OTR reduction of 26-48% depending on material type, degree of thermoforming and RH. A 2-3-fold increase in OTR was observed for PA/PE film when measured at 100/100% RH compared to 0/100% RH, whereas the APET/PE trays were not affected by RH. Increased OTR was observed as a result of material thinning; however, the increase was not always directly proportional to the degree of material thinning. Even very small amounts of oxygen have, in combination with light exposure, significant effects on oxidative quality deterioration of many products. Consequently, the changes in OTR observed in this study emphasize the necessity of evaluating the performance of packaging materials under realistic storage conditions, in order to estimate the real oxygen content of a chosen package solution. The light transmission through the packaging material was found to be reduced to 0-30% (300-800 nm) by dyeing of the lid and/or addition of labels. Thus, it is easy to protect the products from light, at least partly. Copyright

Impact of packaging on the quality of Saint-Nectaire cheese

“…Generally, the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of films decreases with temperature (Eustace, 1981). For PET/PE films, Jakobsen, Jespersen, Juncher, Miquel Becker, and Risbo (2005) observed that there was a reduction of 37% in OTR when storage temperatures ranged from 23 C to 7 C, and the OTR was not affected by a change in RH. In this case, the low oxygen concentration was maintained, possibly inhibiting growth and activity of aerobic microorganism.…”

“…These working conditions can lead to changes in the gas transfer levels, depending on the material used, the temperature and the RH (De Leiris, 1989). Indeed, the decrease of the OTR due to the decrease of 8 C was estimated at 50% for PA/PE film, while the RH variation between 0 and 100% increased the OTR by 2.5-fold on average for this type of materials (De Leiris, 1989;Jakobsen et al, 2005). The exchanges through the film were then high enough to be measured.…”

Evaluation of the Thickness and Oxygen Transmission Rate before and after Thermoforming Mono- and Multi-layer Sheets into Trays with Variable Depth

“…The O2 concentration in the packaging is determined by the residual O2 after packaging, the respiration or consumption of O2 by the product, and by the O2 ingress during the shelf life (OTR) [34,35]. The simulation software PredOxyPack ® is a practical tool to predict the oxygen ingress for different packaging configurations, materials, and time-temperature profiles [36].…”

Advances in the packaging of fresh and processed meat products

“…Small amounts of O 2 , when combined with exposure to light, cause significant oxidative deterioration of products (Jakobsen et al ., 2005). Many vacuum packagers or tray sealers do not remove air from packages with sufficient vacuum levels in the preferred amount of time for efficient packaging line speeds, so O 2 scavengers are used to create acceptably low-oxygen atmospheres in packages.…”