Barqueta activa de cartón microcorrugado para envasado de pepinos snack

Abstract

Plastic containers are used in the packaging of fresh snack cucumbers. However, regulations are being imposed in the European Union that increasingly restrict the use of these packaging solutions. Kraft paper, with which active microcorrugated cardboard trays can be manufactured, is a natural and biodegradable material that can replace plastic as more sustainable packaging. The active coating of these trays has been solved in this study using a combination of essential oils encapsulated in βcyclodextrins. The behavior of this active cardboard container has been analyzed in controlling the deterioration processes of the refrigerated packaged snack cucumber, comparing this behavior with that of a recycled PET (rPET) plastic container. The analyses were carried out with My Cubies® snack cucumber. Refrigerated storage at 10 ºC and 85% relative humidity was conducted for 11 days, carrying out the analyses of surface microbiology of the cucumbers, texture, ºBrix, sensory analysis and weight loss. Packaging in active cardboard trays was more effective in controlling the surface microbiological load of snack cucumbers, although it caused slightly greater weight losses (reaching 12% in 8 days), compared to packaging in rPET trays. During storage, the freshness and sensory acceptance of the cucumber was greater in the active trays than in the rPET trays.