An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology
The establishment and control of oxygen levels in packs of oxygen-sensitive food products such as cheese is imperative in order to maintain product quality over a determined shelf life. Oxygen sensors quantify oxygen concentrations within packaging using a reversible optical measurement process, and...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2016-06-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/6/916 |
| _version_ | 1811187605598896128 |
|---|---|
| author | Karen A.M. O’ Callaghan Dmitri B. Papkovsky Joseph P. Kerry |
| author_facet | Karen A.M. O’ Callaghan Dmitri B. Papkovsky Joseph P. Kerry |
| author_sort | Karen A.M. O’ Callaghan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The establishment and control of oxygen levels in packs of oxygen-sensitive food products such as cheese is imperative in order to maintain product quality over a determined shelf life. Oxygen sensors quantify oxygen concentrations within packaging using a reversible optical measurement process, and this non-destructive nature ensures the entire supply chain can be monitored and can assist in pinpointing negative issues pertaining to product packaging. This study was carried out in a commercial cheese packaging plant and involved the insertion of 768 sensors into 384 flow-wrapped cheese packs (two sensors per pack) that were flushed with 100% carbon dioxide prior to sealing. The cheese blocks were randomly assigned to two different storage groups to assess the effects of package quality, packaging process efficiency, and handling and distribution on package containment. Results demonstrated that oxygen levels increased in both experimental groups examined over the 30-day assessment period. The group subjected to a simulated industrial distribution route and handling procedures of commercial retailed cheese exhibited the highest level of oxygen detected on every day examined and experienced the highest rate of package failure. The study concluded that fluctuating storage conditions, product movement associated with distribution activities, and the possible presence of cheese-derived contaminants such as calcium lactate crystals were chief contributors to package failure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:05:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf33ea6a64b24ae1a39aa9f9bcef9b28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:05:08Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf33ea6a64b24ae1a39aa9f9bcef9b282022-12-22T04:19:54ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202016-06-0116691610.3390/s16060916s16060916An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor TechnologyKaren A.M. O’ Callaghan0Dmitri B. Papkovsky1Joseph P. Kerry2Food Packaging Group, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T12 YN60, IrelandBiophysics and Bioanalysis Group, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork T12 YN60, IrelandFood Packaging Group, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T12 YN60, IrelandThe establishment and control of oxygen levels in packs of oxygen-sensitive food products such as cheese is imperative in order to maintain product quality over a determined shelf life. Oxygen sensors quantify oxygen concentrations within packaging using a reversible optical measurement process, and this non-destructive nature ensures the entire supply chain can be monitored and can assist in pinpointing negative issues pertaining to product packaging. This study was carried out in a commercial cheese packaging plant and involved the insertion of 768 sensors into 384 flow-wrapped cheese packs (two sensors per pack) that were flushed with 100% carbon dioxide prior to sealing. The cheese blocks were randomly assigned to two different storage groups to assess the effects of package quality, packaging process efficiency, and handling and distribution on package containment. Results demonstrated that oxygen levels increased in both experimental groups examined over the 30-day assessment period. The group subjected to a simulated industrial distribution route and handling procedures of commercial retailed cheese exhibited the highest level of oxygen detected on every day examined and experienced the highest rate of package failure. The study concluded that fluctuating storage conditions, product movement associated with distribution activities, and the possible presence of cheese-derived contaminants such as calcium lactate crystals were chief contributors to package failure.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/6/916sensoroxygenpackagingdistributioncheeseindustry |
| spellingShingle | Karen A.M. O’ Callaghan Dmitri B. Papkovsky Joseph P. Kerry An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology Sensors sensor oxygen packaging distribution cheese industry |
| title | An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology |
| title_full | An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology |
| title_fullStr | An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology |
| title_short | An Assessment of the Influence of the Industry Distribution Chain on the Oxygen Levels in Commercial Modified Atmosphere Packaged Cheddar Cheese Using Non-Destructive Oxygen Sensor Technology |
| title_sort | assessment of the influence of the industry distribution chain on the oxygen levels in commercial modified atmosphere packaged cheddar cheese using non destructive oxygen sensor technology |
| topic | sensor oxygen packaging distribution cheese industry |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/6/916 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karenamocallaghan anassessmentoftheinfluenceoftheindustrydistributionchainontheoxygenlevelsincommercialmodifiedatmospherepackagedcheddarcheeseusingnondestructiveoxygensensortechnology AT dmitribpapkovsky anassessmentoftheinfluenceoftheindustrydistributionchainontheoxygenlevelsincommercialmodifiedatmospherepackagedcheddarcheeseusingnondestructiveoxygensensortechnology AT josephpkerry anassessmentoftheinfluenceoftheindustrydistributionchainontheoxygenlevelsincommercialmodifiedatmospherepackagedcheddarcheeseusingnondestructiveoxygensensortechnology AT karenamocallaghan assessmentoftheinfluenceoftheindustrydistributionchainontheoxygenlevelsincommercialmodifiedatmospherepackagedcheddarcheeseusingnondestructiveoxygensensortechnology AT dmitribpapkovsky assessmentoftheinfluenceoftheindustrydistributionchainontheoxygenlevelsincommercialmodifiedatmospherepackagedcheddarcheeseusingnondestructiveoxygensensortechnology AT josephpkerry assessmentoftheinfluenceoftheindustrydistributionchainontheoxygenlevelsincommercialmodifiedatmospherepackagedcheddarcheeseusingnondestructiveoxygensensortechnology |