Combined effect of active coating and modified atmosphere packaging on prolonging the shelf life of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese.

In this work, the effect of active coating on the shelf life of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese packaged in air and modified atmosphere (MAP) was studied. The active coating was based on sodium alginate (2%, wt/vol) and potassium sorbate (1%, wt/vol). The MAP was made up of 75% CO₂ and 25% N₂ (MAP1), 25% CO₂ and 75% N₂ (MAP2), or 50% CO₂ and 50% N₂ (MAP3). The product quality decay was assessed by monitoring microbiological and sensory changes during storage at 4, 8, and 14°C. Results showed that the combination of active coating and MAP was able to improve the preservation of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese. Specifically, the shelf life increased up to 160 d for samples stored at 4°C, and 40 and 11 d for those at 8 and 14°C, respectively. A faster quality decay for untreated samples packaged in air was observed. In particular, the Pseudomonas spp. growth and the appearance of molds were responsible for product unacceptability. The combination of active coating and MAP represents a strategic solution to prolong the shelf life of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese and to ensure the safety of the product under thermal abuse conditions.