Interaction of Food Flavour and Packaging Materials

Assignment Submitted Towards Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course of APPLIED FOOD CHEMISTRY By

Dhond Ravikumar S. (MTF/2011/06) M. Tech Food Technology, 2011-13

Under the Supervision of

Dr. Alka Pandey

AMITY INSTITUTE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY

I-1 BLOCK, 4TH FLOOR, AMITYUNIVERSITY SECTOR-125, NOIDA 201303, U.P., INDIA OCTOBER 2011

Interaction of Food Flavour and Packaging Materials:

INTRODUCTION Migration of compounds from packages into foods and absorption of flavor compounds of foods by packaging materials can alter the flavor profiles of foods. There are a number of interactions that can occur between volatile organic compounds and packaging materials. The main categories are permeation, scalping and migration. No matter which of these interactions happens, it can result in changes in the flavor or aroma profile of the product that is in contact with the package. The testing of these interactions presents a real challenge as flavors are complex mixtures. Analytical data can be generated on individual compounds but this must be correlated with sensory data to confirm that the changes that are measured will be detected by a person either smelling or tasting the product. Initial results from the testing of three different components of a flavor show that the permeability, Solubility and diffusivity can be correlated to sensory results. This provides a good screening method for new packaging Materials. Widespread and continuously increasing usage of plastics is due to the development of various barrier products.

Flavor:
Sensory Impression of food or Other Substance. Desirable flavor Orange juice Potato chips Roast beef Etc. Undesirable flavor (off-flavor) Oxidized Rancid Warmed-over Etc. Packaging material may contain components which transfer into contents and adversely affect product flavor characteristics. For example, water, which has virtually no aroma, cannot mask the very faint waxy or burnt odor which transfers from some polyethylene materials. The source of odor in polyethylene materials might be: * Formation of carbonyl groups derived from overheated polyethylene. This can occur in extrusion coating. * Residual catalysts, the presence of which depends on the resin manufacturing processes used and the polymer's specific characteristics. * Antioxidant additives in polyethylene resins. While these additives can prevent the development of oxidized odors, they can also create their own off-odors. Catalysts and antioxidants present in polyethylene can sometimes interact to form odorous compounds

Natural flavoring substances:

Flavoring substances obtained from plant or animal raw materials, by physical, Microbiological or enzymatic processes. They can be either used in their natural state or processed for human consumption, but cannot contain any nature-identical or artificial flavoring substances.

Nature-identical flavoring substances

Flavoring substances that are obtained by synthesis or isolated through chemical processes, which are chemically and organoleptically identical to flavoring substances naturally present in products intended for human consumption. They cannot contain any artificial flavoring substances.

Artificial flavoring substances

Flavoring substances not identified in a natural product intended for human consumption, whether or not the product is processed. These are typically produced by fractional distillation and additional chemical manipulation naturally sourced chemicals or from crude oil or coal tar. Although they are chemically different, in sensory characteristics are the same as natural ones.

Examples of some chemicals and their odor Chemical

Diacetyl Isoamyl acetate Benzaldehyde Cinnamic aldehyde Ethyl propionate Methyl anthranilate Limonene

Odor
Buttery Banana Bitter almond Cinnamon Fruity Grape Orange

Ethyl-(''E'',''Z'')-2,4-decadienoate Pear Allyl hexanoate Ethyl maltol Ethyl vanillin Methyl salicylate Pineapple Sugar, Cotton candy Vanilla Wintergreen

INTERACTIONS OF FLAVOR COMPOUND WITH FOODS

I. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL STABILITY OF FLAVOR COMPOUNDS 1. Mechanisms of flavor perception 1) Flavor compounds interact with olfactory and lingual receptors 2) Volatile compounds are generally responsible for odor perception and Nonvolatile compounds for taste. 2. Concentration of flavor compounds in the receptors 1) The rates of flavor compounds release from foods. 2) The concentration and disposition of flavor compounds in the food. 3) The components of the food. 4) The particle size of food components. 5) The Extend of mixing. 6) The temperature of foods. 3. Factors affecting partition and release of flavor compounds in the Mouth 1) Hydration 2) Dispersion 3) Reduction of Particle Size 4) Homogenization 5) Emulsification 4. Rate of volatilization 1) The partition coefficient of flavor compounds. 2) Molecular interaction between flavor compounds and food components. 3) The viscosity of food material. 5. Physical and chemical states of flavor compounds in foods Flavor compounds may be dissolved, adsorbed, absorbed, or entrapped in Food components depending upon functional groups, molecular size, shape and volatility, and chemical properties of the components in the food. 6. Importance of binding behavior of flavor compounds Knowledge of the binding behavior of flavor compounds to food Components are: 1 Important in the flavor perception and the determination of relative retention of flavor compounds during processing, storage and Mastication. 2 Critical in these A. B. C. D. E. 3 The determination of appropriate flavor blend added to food The choice of methods for dispersing flavor compounds The selection of appropriate flavor compounds carriers The determination of improved conditions for efficient drying of flavored Foods The minimization of flavor compounds loss. Important in the determination of how to maximize flavor impact and minimize cost.

7. Effects of selective binding on flavor perception The selective binding of one flavor compound of a blend to food Components or packaging material can markedly alter the overall flavor Impact. Binding limits its volatilization and diffusion and hence impairs its immediate perception as components of an overall flavor when food is taken into the mouth. 8. Factors affecting partition coefficients 1) Temperature 2) The presence of soluble solutes and no soluble materials 3) Diffusion rates in the aqueous phase 4) Physical retention of flavor compound Air-Water Partition Coefficients for Homologous Series of Ketones and Aldehydes at 25oC

II. Effects and Interactions of Lipids with Flavor Compounds 1. Increase flavor compounds adsorption and retention 2. Decrease the partition coefficients 3. Increase the flavor threshold concentration Effects of Physical Phase on Perception of Flavor Compounds

III. Effects and Interactions of Carbohydrates with Flavor Compounds 1 Soluble sugars increase the vapor pressures of volatile compounds. 2 Polysaccharides stabilize flavor compounds in foods during processing Due to entrapment, adsorption, and reduced mass transport effects due to increased viscosity. 3 Cellulose adsorbs flavor compounds in intermolecular region. 4 Amylose forms inclusion complexes with aliphatic flavor compounds this fit inside the amylose helix. 5 The association constants with starch were 383, 930 and 2277 for Limonene, methanol and decanal, respectively.

Adsorption and Desorption of Volatile Compounds to Polysaccharides (Mol/kg)

About Packaging Materials:

Packaging is a critical component of food products. Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging contains, protects, preserves, transports, informs, and sells.In many countries it is fully integrated into government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use. Packaging materials have long been used to simply contain products during distribution or serve as a dust cover. Materials have become more sophisticated and can now provide protection against moisture gain or loss, maintain a desired atmosphere, serve as a cooking container or even aid in cooking a product in the microwave oven. These developments have greatly increased the quality of products and have allowed for a much longer shelf life, particularly for food products.

With the increased sophistication has also come concern about the interactions between the products and the packaging materials that contain them. There are three main types of interactions that can occur. These are: 1, Permeation 2. Scalping 3. Migration

1. Permeation
Permeation is generally considered to be the movement of a material such as a gas or volatile organic material from one side of a packaging material through to the other side of the package. Permeation of moisture through a package can result in the drying out of a moist product or a crisp product can become soggy as it picks up moisture over time. Gas flushing a package with an inert gas such as nitrogen can help to protect a fat containing product from lipid oxidation or can protect a product from microbial degradation. It is important to have the desired atmosphere maintained by the packaging material. Another area where permeation can be a concern is the potential for contamination of a product from the outside atmosphere. This has become an issue recently with more and more food products being sold in convenience stores that have gas pumps outside. The iumes liom the gasoline including compounds such as toluene is at a fairly high concentration and there are Instances in which the product can pick up the gasoline aroma. Many manufacturers are looking for higher barrier materials that will help prevent the permeation of the undesirable aromas into the product.

2. Scalping
Scalping refers to the solubility of compounds, particularly volatile compounds such as flavors, in packaging materials. The most well known instance of scalping was when brick packs of juice were first introduced. Multi-layer materials which included a layer of foil were used. About a week after production, the juice tasted as if it were half-strength instead of full strength. With the high barrier packaging, it was very unlikely that the flavors had permeated through the package. Upon investigation, it was found that the citrus flavors were soluble in the sealant layer of the package. The flavor had not left the package but was no longer available for the consumer to taste. This area is of particular concern for products with a longer shelf life. Flavors or components of the flavor will diffuse into the packaging material over time. If the flavor is highly soluble in the packaging material, it will not permeate completely through the package but will remain in the material. Some health and beauty products and oral care products are expected to have shelf life of up to two years. The flavour and fragrances that are used in these products are used at fairly high levels and need to be maintained at those levels to maintain the integrity of the products. When scalping occurs, there can be two different impacts on the product. In some cases, only one or a few components of the flavour may be highly soluble in the packaging materials and subject to scalping. When this occurs, only part of the flavor or fragrance will be lost resulting in an unbalanced aroma that has a different character that what was intended. In

other instance all components of the flavor or fragrance may have similar solubility in the packaging materials, resulting in a decrease in intensity of the aroma but no change in the character.

3. Migration
Migration is the movement of components of the packaging materials from the package into the product that it contains. These components could be residual monomers, low molecular weight additive such as plasticizer or clarifiers, other processing aids or components of either adhesives or printing inks, including residual solvents. Migration presents a regulatory concern for the potential contamination of the product. In the U.S., if any component of a package that is not intended to be part of the food migration into the product resulting in an off flavor, the food is considered to be adulterated and subject to seizure, even if a package meets all of the FDA regulation spelled out in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Packaging Materials:
1 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) 2 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 4 Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVdC) 4 Ethyl-Vinyl Alcohol Copolymers (EVOH)

Structures:

H C

H C

H C

H
C H

H
C H

H
C H

H C H

H C H

H C H

C
H

C
H

C
H

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) H

H
C

OOC

COO

OOC

COO N

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) H C H Cl C Cl H C H Cl C Cl H C H Cl C Cl H C H Cl C Cl H C H Cl C Cl H C H N

Polyvinylidine Chloride (PVdC) H C H H C H N H C H OH C H N N

Ethyl Vinylalcohol Copolymer (EVOH)

INTERACTIONS
(Concentration of flavor in control - Concentration of flavor In sample) x 100 % Absorption = (Concentration of flavor compound in control)

Effects of Packaging Materials on Limonene Absorption during Storage:

LDPE absorbed more d-limonene and a-pinene probably because terpene hydrocarbons are non polar compounds and their lipophilic nature enables them to possess a stronger affinity for the non polar hydrocarbons of the low-density polyethylene layer. The greater absorption of d-limonene into LDPE may be because of low-density polyethylene layers amorphous nature and lower crystalline

Barrier properties of the polymer:

For oxygen to reach steady state conditions with 0.002 inch thick HDPE film requires about 38 seconds. With PVDC, the time is about 12 hours. For a larger flavor molecule, the time to reach steady state is much longer. It may even be much longer than the product's anticipated shelf-life. The steady state time for d-limonene through 0.002 inch thick HDPE film is about 2.5 hours, while, for PVDC, it is nearly seven years.

Summary:
1. Several mechanisms are involved in interaction of flavor compounds with food components. 2. In lipid system, solubilization and rates of partitioning control the Interactions and partition coefficients, thus determine-s the rates of Release. 3. In polysaccharide system, polysaccharides interact with flavor Compounds by nonspecific adsorption and formation of inclusion Compounds. 4. In protein system, protein involves adsorption, specific binding, Entrapment, covalent binding and these mechanisms may account for the Retention of flavor compounds. 5. Moisture affects diffusion and partition coefficients and macromolecular Structures in the case of protein and polysaccharides and thereby affects the rate of release of flavor compound.

References:
Hand Book of Food Chemistry -Mayer Foods Facts and principles- N. Shakuntala manay Gould, R.F., Flavour Chemistry American Chemical Society, Washington Properties of Foods-Barrow, Chang, Hand Book of Packaging Materials Biochemistry- U. Satyanarayana & U. Chakrapani