Influence of Different Packaging Materials on the Composition of the Headspace of Rennet Cheeses under Different Modified Atmosphere Conditions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of different packaging materials on the composition of the headspace (CO2 and O2) of rennet cheeses packed in unit packaging under different modified atmosphere (MAP) conditions during a storage period of 90 days at 2 °C and 8 °C. The packaging materials comprised different combinations of BOPP—biaxially oriented polypropylene; PET—polyester; PE—polyethylene; PP—polypropylene; EVOH—ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer; PET—polyethylene terephthalate; and PA—polyamide. As the properties of the packaging material (foil) affect the gas conditions inside the packaging, it is important to study whether the modifications, i.e., properties and thickness, of the foils will result in significant differences in the composition of the headspace of packed cheeses. The CO2 content in the headspace of Gouda cheese packages ranged from 35% to 45%, while for Maasdamer and Sielski Klasyczny cheese, it varied between 55% and 65%. Throughout the storage period, the O2 content in the headspace of cheeses packaged in tested foils (1–5) did not exceed 0.5%. The type of foil used did not influence the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) conditions.