Designing of a Proper Package to Minimize Trade-Non Vacuum Condition in Vacuum Packed Sausages
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Food packaging is an integral part of food processing and a vital link between the processor and
the eventual consumer for the safe delivery of the product through the various stages of
processing, storage, transport, distribution and marketing. The selection of the packaging
material has to be done very carefully to protect the different physico-chemical properties like
nature of pigments, sensory attributes and micro flora (Marsh and Bugusu, 2007).
Due to various types of defects, the return of product causes a considerable reduction of profit
annually. Formation of non vacuum condition in vacuum packed products has become one of
the reasons for market return. Vacuum packages of pre-cooked sausages, meat ball products
create non vacuum condition at different stages from packaging to consumption due to poor
mechanical shock resistance of the packaging materials that cause damage during loading,
unloading, poor handling, packing and storage (Chainey, 1989). The objective of the study was
to design a proper package to minimize the trade non vacuum condition in vacuum packed
sausages and minimize the market returns.
Methodology
Experimental work was conducted at the Keells Food Products PLC, Ja-Ela. Tests for the
materials were carried out at the JF packaging (Pvt) Ltd, Kotugoda and the Varna Laminations
(Pvt) Ltd, Rathmalana. Initially 4M analysis was conducted in order to identify possible root
causes that create non vacuum condition in vacuum packed sausages. Contribution of man,
material, method and machine were critically analyzed through observation of machine,
handling and transportation system.
Five types of coextruded, three layer lamination pouches, varying in thickness as given below
were used as treatments for the experiment.
T1 = Nylon (15μ)/LLDPE (60 μ)
T2 = Nylon (15 μ)/LLDPE (70 μ),
T3 = Nylon (25 μ)/LLDPE (60 μ),
T4 = both side metalized: PET (10 μ)/MPET (10 μ)/LLDPE (100 μ) and
T5 = back metalized and front transparent pouch: PET (20 μ)/LLDPE (100 μ)
All the film samples were corona treated and solvent based, prepared according to standard
industrial procedure.
Twenty samples with three replicates were used for each treatment in the investigation. Each
pouch was filled with sausages and subjected to vacuum process. Vacuum packed pouches were
stored at -18 ˚C. Treatments were examined for non vacuum condition by visual observation
once per week for a month. Each material was analyzed for puncture resistance and tensile
strength of films before and after freezing conditions. Data were analyzed using analysis of
variance (ANOVA) incorporated in MINITAB 14 statistical software at 5% level of
significance.
Results and Discussion
Non vacuum count for the investigated samples showed a significant difference (p<0.05)
indicating that there is an effect of the materials/films for the non vacuum incident. Statistical
analysis for non vacuum count have shown that the investigated materials were significantly
different (p<0.05) from each other but a significant difference was not found among T4 (both
side metalized pouch) and T5 (front transparent and back metalized). The lowest means were
recorded in both Treatment 4 and 5 which revealed that the mean non vacuum count is zero in
both samples throughout the investigated period.
Treatment 4 and 5 were selected for further experiment and were subjected to appearance and
customer acceptability test. As revealed by the statistical test there was a significant difference
between treatment 4 and 5 (p<0.05) and treatment five was selected as the best treatment (Front
transparent PET (20 μ)/LLDPE (100 μ)).
Treatment which was consisted of PET (10 μ)/MPET (10 μ)/LLDPE (100 μ) showed higher
material performance over other treatments during the storage period. Treatment 4 showed a
significant difference (p<0.05) in puncture resistance and tensile strength over other treatments
as well as approximately remained stable during the study period compared to other investigated
treatments.
Statistical data for tensile strength and for the puncture resistance among investigated samples
the
materials/treatments on the mechanical strength (puncture resistance and tensile strength).
Again PET/MPET/LLDPE showed highest performance among others during the study period.
It has the highest puncture resistance and the tensile strength over other materials as well as it
approximately remained stable during the study period compared to other investigated materials.
Therefore again it was selected as the best sample. According to the results of the tukey test any
sample similar to the best sample could not be found either for the puncture resistance or for
tensile strength (p<0.05) among investigated samples.
Conclusions
Therefore, treatment 4, PET (10μ)/MPET (10μ)/LLDPE (100μ) and treatment 5, front
transparent (PET20μ/LLDPE100μ) can be determined as the best samples among the
investigated samples. It can be concluded that metalized films (PET/MPET/LLDPE) which have
the highest puncture resistance and tensile strength value was the film that could be used to
minimize the market returns due to non vacuuming of the products and could provide best
protection against the mechanical damages.
Description
Keywords
Animal Sciences, Food Science, Food Technology, Meat, Meat Production