Innovations in packaging of fermented food products

Food packaging is designed to contain and protect foods, to provide required information about the food and to make food handling convenient from distribution to consumer’s table. The primary functions of packaging are to achieve preservation and the safe delivery of food products until consumption (Han, 2014). Food packaging technology is continuously evolving in response to growing challenges from a modern society (Realini & Marcos, 2014). Major current and future challenges to fast-moving consumer goods packaging include legislation, global markets, longer shelf life, convenience, safer and healthier food, environmental concerns, authenticity and food waste (Kerry, 2014). This background offers a unique opportunity to the packaging industry to offer innovative solutions to address the changing demands of the food industry and consumers as well as the increasing regulatory and legal requirements (Han, 2014). This chapter will present innovations and trends applied to the packaging of fermented food products: optimisation of barrier properties, modified atmosphere packaging, adaptation of packaging to non-thermal preservation technologies, active packaging and sustainable design

Controlling Brochothrix Thermosphacta as a Spoilage Risk Using in Package Atmospheric Cold Plasma

Brochothrix thermosphacta is a predominant spoilage microorganism in meat and its control in processing environments is important to maintain meat product quality. Atmospheric cold plasma is of interest for control of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods. This study ascertained the potential of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) for control of B. thermosphacta in response to key parameters such as treatment time, voltage level, interactions with media composition and post treatment storage conditions. Challenge populations were evaluated as suspensions in PBS, as biofilms in meat model medium and surface attached on raw lamb chops under MAP. ACP treatment (80kV) for 30s inactivated B. thermosphacta populations below detection in PBS, while 5 min treatment achieved a 2 Log cycle reduction using a complex meat model medium and attached cells, suggesting useful control for meat processing facilities. A ‘worst case scenario challenge’ of high population density on a nutritious medium in a biofilm matrix was evaluated using a surface inoculated lamb chop and the antimicrobial efficacy of plasma was reduced but still apparent over the 10 day storage period. However, there is scope to further enhance microbial control leading to meat storage life extension through adjusting the modality of treatmen

Zein film: Effects of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Cold Plasma

Dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric plasma is a novel non-thermal technology for the food and packaging industry. The effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma on the surface, structural, thermal and moisture sorption properties of edible zein films have been examined. Plasma treatment increased the surface roughness and equillibrium moisture content of the zein film in a direct relationship with the applied voltage level. No significant difference in the thermal stability of the zein film is also observed after plasma treatment. Dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatments of zein film lead to a change in the protein conformation which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy. The evaluation of films modifications by plasma discharge will contribute to enhance the in-package decontamination studies of food products by plasma

Characterization of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Air Plasma Treated Chitosan Films

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is a novel non-thermal food decontamination technology. The effects of DBD plasma on the surface topography, chemical composition and crystal structure, film hydrophilicity, water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability of chitosan films have been examined. DBD plasma treatment increased the surface roughness of chitosan films with emergence of sharp protuberances. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra confirm a significant increase in the oxygen containing groups in the chitosan film after plasma treatment. Significant increase in the film hydrophilicity was observed after plasma treatment. X-ray diffraction results showed that DBD plasma treatment do not affect the crystal type, although an increase in the structural compactness was observed. No significant change was observed in barrier properties of the chitosan film after DBD plasma treatment. Practical Applications: In-package cold plasma is an innovative technology for the decontamination of foods products and has shown significant potential for industrial applications. This article accesses the suitability of chitosan film to be used with cold plasma treatment. This work characterizes the effect of DBD plasma on the surface, chemical, structural and barrier properties of chitosan film. The work described in this research offers an alternative to the traditional petro-chemical based polymers dominant in food packaging industry where in-package cold plasma can serve as an effective decontamination process avoiding any post-process recontamination or hazards from the package itself

Effects of Cold Plasma on Surface, Thermal and Antimicrobial Release Properties of Chitosan Film

This work aims to analyze the effects of cold atmospheric air plasma treatment of antimicrobial chitosan film with different levels of thymol. Optical characterization of the dielectric barrier discharge showed the generation of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species by the system. A significant increase in the surface roughness was observed after cold plasma treatment of the films. No significant difference was observed in the thermal profile of the plasma-treated films. A significant increase in the thymol diffusion coefficient was observed after the plasma treatment for all the active films

Surface, Thermal and Antimicrobial Release Properties of Plasma-Treated Zein Films

The effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment on zein film containing thymol as an active ingredient were evaluated. The plasma discharge was optically characterized to identify the reactive species. A significant increase in the film roughness (p 0.05) was observed for the thermal properties of the antimicrobial films after DBD plasma treatment

Characterization of polylactic acid films for food packaging as affected by dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric plasma

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) air plasma is a novel technique for in-package decontamination of food, but it has not been yet applied to the packaging material. Characterization of commercial polylactic acid (PLA) films was done after in-package DBD plasma treatment at different voltages and treatment times to evaluate its suitability as food packaging material. DBD plasma increased the roughness of PLA film mainly at the site in contact with high voltage electrode at both the voltage levels of 70 and 80 kV. DBD plasma treatments did not induce any change in the glass transition temperature, but significant increase in the initial degradation temperature and maximum degradation temperature was observed. DBD plasma treatment did not adversely affect the oxygen and water vapor permeability of PLA. A very limited overall migration was observed in different food simulants and was much below the regulatory limits. Industrial relevance: In-package DBD plasma is a novel and innovative approach for the decontamination of foods with potential industrial application. This paper assesses the suitability of PLA as food packaging material for cold plasma treatment. It characterizes the effect of DBD plasma on the packaging material when used for in-package decontamination of food. The work described in this research offers a promising alternative to classical methods used in fruit and vegetable industries where in-package DBD plasma can serve as an effective decontamination process and avoids any post-process recontamination or hazards from the package itself

Innovación docente y procesos psicológicos básicos como facilitadores del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en formación universitaria

Los procesos psicológicos básicos tienen gran implicación en el aprendizaje, demostrándose que factores como la novedad, relevancia o repaso de la información presentada, tienen efectos sobre la adquisición del conocimiento. Por ello, en la presente convocatoria del Programa Redes, nuestro grupo ha incluido la elaboración de materiales docentes innovadores a través de la aplicación de los conocimientos sobre los procesos psicológicos básicos como potenciadores del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje; y la utilización de las TICs para facilitar el aprendizaje autónomo del alumnado. Asimismo, se ha evaluado el grado de satisfacción del alumnado con los nuevos materiales docentes. En el estudio ha participado una muestra disponible y significativa de estudiantes matriculados en la asignatura Psicología del Grado en Enfermería y del Grado en Nutrición Humana y Dietética de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad de Alicante. Se describen las actividades elaboradas por la Red y los resultados obtenidos sobre la satisfacción del estudiante con los nuevos materiales docentes diseñados

Aplicación de los procesos psicológicos básicos en la elaboración de materiales docentes en formación universitaria

Las nuevas herramientas y recursos TIC han facilitado la elaboración de materiales docentes, pero es necesario que se tenga en cuenta la aportación de los procesos psicológicos básicos como facilitadores en la adquisición del conocimiento. El objetivo de este trabajo es diseñar y elaborar materiales docentes innovadores en los que se apliquen los conocimientos del campo de estudio de los procesos psicológicos básicos, que faciliten y potencien el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en formación universitaria y evaluar el grado de satisfacción del alumnado con los materiales desarrollados. Ha participado en nuestro estudio una muestra disponible y significativa de estudiantes matriculados en dos asignaturas de formación básica del Grado en Enfermería y del Grado en Nutrición Humana y Dietética de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad de Alicante. Se describen los materiales diseñados y los resultados sobre la satisfacción del alumnado con esta experiencia piloto mediante un cuestionario elaborado ad hoc

Efectos de un programa de ejercicio terapéutico sobre la calidad de vida y condición física en personas frágiles mayores de 80 años con cardiopatía y/o factores de riesgo cardiovascular

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido determinar la eficacia de un programa de ejercicio terapéutico sobre la calidad de vida y condición física en personas frágiles mayores de 80 años con cardiopatía y/o factores de riesgo cardiovascular. Para ello, se midieron la calidad y estilo de vida, la condición física y funcional y la fuerza de prensión manual, con los correspondientes cuestionarios validados para ello, en una valoración previa y en una posterior al programa de ejercicio terapéutico propuesto. Los resultados muestran, de media, mayor calidad de vida, de acuerdo con el Cuestionario de Calidad de Vida SF-36, en 6 de sus 8 escalas, un estilo de vida más activo según el Cuestionario YPAS (2ª parte), mejor condición física y funcional en todos los apartados del Senior Fitness Test y mayor fuerza de prensión manual. El programa implementado ha demostrado ser útil en la mejora de la condición física y calidad de vida de los participantes. <br /