nH 2O n ≤ 8) with microfibrous morphology in one direction and two dimensions at the nanometric range.Sepiolite is a magnesium phyllosilicate (Mg 8Si 12O 30(OH) 4(OH 2) 4 However, in this study, sepiolite clay is used as nanomaterial. Its structure is expandable, able of separating the distance between layers, intercalating polymer branches between them until complete exfoliation. Between clay nanomaterials, the one most studied with PET is montmorillonite, a magnesium and aluminum silicate mineral. Many PET nanomaterials have been developed but, very few of them have tried or succeeded industrially producing these nanocomposites. For this, nanotechnology has become of great importance in food packaging research. Since permeability of the packaging is one of the most important properties in MAP applications, it has been key to this industry, to improve barrier properties of polymeric materials. However, PET has its limitations in permeability, needing the use of multilayer materials, which adds complexity to the production process, as well as to its recyclability. Polymers, coming from petroleum or from natural sources, have been widely used as food packaging materials for many decades, being PET one of the most used for all kinds of foodstuff. The MAP works by inhibiting bacterial growth and oxidative reactions in the food, however the extend of preservation depends on species, initial microbial population, fat content, gas mixture, and the ratio of gas volume to product volume, and storage temperature. The gases introduced are O 2, CO 2, and N 2, depending on the food product inside. MAP principle consists on the alteration of gases composition inside the packaging. The most widely used packaging system for fresh products has been MAP, which is generally made with a polymer container sealed with a polymeric film. This industry is in continuous development, looking to reduce costs, reduce environmental impact, improve mechanical properties and increase shelf life of the products. Besides, these containers must follow EU regulations for food contact products, including good manufacturing practices and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) requirements. Food packaging containers must comply with several requirements such as: protect, preserve, inform, and help to sell the product packed (marketing). Although all actors in the food chain have a role in preventing waste, food packaging is one of the most important ones.įood packaging is an indispensable aid in preserving food products by prolonging shelf life and ensuring food safety, besides contributing to reduce food loss and waste. In the UE, around 88 million tonnes of food waste are generated annually with associated costs estimated at 143 billion euros. It not only affects the economy, but also the sustainability of the food system. On the other hand, trays obtained comply with European regulations in food contact materials (FCM) and, overall, they are suitable for food packaging materials.įood waste is an increasingly important problem nowadays. This means that shelf life of pack sea bream could increase from 2–4 to 7–9 days, which is very important for both producers and customers. Microbiological analysis is done over the packed fish, resulting is a lower microbiological count compared to a PET control sample. At the end, a material composition is chosen to produce the finale tray which will contain the sliced sea bream. Permeability to oxygen and impact mechanical properties results are shown for different samples, both at laboratory and industrial processes. Here, it is shown the production procedure from laboratory to industrial scale. This material is poly(ethylene terephathalate) (PET) extruded with a polyamide (PA) nanocomposite containing nanosepiolite. In the present work, a new material is developed for fish packaging in modified atmosphere (MAP). It is necessary packaging improvements to be able to increase fish shelf life and, thus, be able to travel further and to keep product freshness longer at customer’s houses. Spoilage of fish due to microbiological activity is one of the biggest problems found by producers to take fresh fish products to customers.
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