Effect of plastic packaging on lyophilized goulash and eggbarley with different types of meat

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60162694%3AG42__%2F26%3A00566496" target="_blank" >RIV/60162694:G42__/26:00566496 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/62157124:16270/25:43882550

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/" target="_blank" >https://www.nature.com/srep/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-20705-3" target="_blank" >10.1038/s41598-025-20705-3</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Effect of plastic packaging on lyophilized goulash and eggbarley with different types of meat

Original language description

Ensuring the long-term stability of military rations is crucial for operational readiness. This study investigates the stability of lyophilized foods—beef with egg barley, pork with egg barley, chicken with egg barley, beef goulash, and pork goulash—designed for emergency and combat rations in accordance with NATO Standard AmedP 1.11. This study explores both the application of freeze-drying (lyophilization) as a preservation method and the performance of polyethylene and polyamide (PE/PA) vacuum packaging in maintaining the quality and stability of rations under different storage temperatures. The meals were vacuum-sealed in polyethylene and polyamideide (PE/PA) bags and stored at 5 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C to assess their stability under various environmental conditions. Given potential supply chain disruptions during wartime and crisis situations, PE/PA packaging was evaluated as a lightweight and flexible alternative to aluminium, which, while offering superior barrier properties, is heavier and less cost-efficient. Water activity remained stable across all temperatures, with values ranging from 0.15 at 5 °C to 0.38 at 40 °C. Microbiological analyses confirmed the absence of significant microbial growth or contamination throughout the 12-month storage period. However, sensory analysis revealed a decline in texture and taste quality (p < 0.05), particularly at 40 °C, where lipid oxidation led to a noticeable increase in rancidity. Nutritional stability was well preserved at lower storage temperatures, but high-temperature conditions accelerated degradation. Although the foods remained microbiologically safe within food safety limits, their sensory and textural properties deteriorated significantly at 40 °C, suggesting that long-term storage of foods in these packages at high temperatures may compromise palatability. These findings demonstrate that while freeze-drying effectively ensures microbial safety and initial stability, the choice of packaging—specifically PE/PA—may not be sufficient to fully preserve sensory and nutritional quality during prolonged storage at elevated temperatures. These findings highlight the critical role of packaging and storage conditions in preserving the quality and safety of combat rations, offering insights for both military food logistics and emergency relief applications.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

21101 - Food and beverages

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Scientific Reports

ISSN

2045-2322

e-ISSN

2045-2322

Volume of the periodical

15

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

24

Pages from-to

36774

UT code for WoS article

001598225500029

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105019325015