Title : Importance of packaging selection in probiotic dairy products
Abstract:
Live microorganisms that are taken with or without food, that regulate the mucosal and systemic immunity, provide nutritional and microbial balance in the intestines, and positively affect the health of the host are called "probiotics". In recent years, the consumption of foods containing probiotic cultures has increased greatly due to its many beneficial effects on human health. The most important carrier of probiotic microorganisms is seen as dairy products. The production methods of these products containing probiotic microorganisms need to be optimized in several technological and economic conditions. This includes the development of packaging material to preserve the therapeutic activities of probiotic foods throughout their shelf life. It is important that the probiotic bacteria contained in foods are present and viability during storage. For this reason, it is necessary to choose the appropriate packaging material by considering all internal and external factors in the storage of probiotic dairy products. The choice of packaging material plays an important role in maintaining the high levels and beneficial effects of these microorganisms contained in foods. Research tries to ensure that the probiotic properties in the products are completely protected during their storage, by taking care to preserve their therapeutic potential. Due to the ecology of anaerobic and microaerophilic species that are mostly used in probiotic foods, the oxygen level in the package should be as low as possible to maintain the usefulness of the product during storage, to prevent microorganism death and toxicity. Glass packages are preferred for the viability of probiotic cultures due to their extremely low oxygen permeability. On the other hand, its high price and fragile nature make glass materials unsuitable for packaging dairy products. For this reason, the dairy industry chooses plastic packaging for the marketing of probiotic dairy products. It is necessary to work on options that include changes in process and production technologies, including the oxygen removal step. These extra alternatives may be oxygen absorbing components such as ascorbic acid. Active packaging technologies with oxygen barrier material or selectively permeable films are also possible applications in the packaging of probiotic dairy products. However, new studies are needed for the selection and development of the most suitable packaging material. In this review study, the importance of packaging material selection on the properties of probiotic products will be discussed.
