Active coating and modified-atmosphere packaging to extend the shelf life of Fior di Latte cheese.

In this work the combination of active coating and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) was used to prolong the shelf life of Fior di Latte cheese. The active coating was based on sodium alginate (8% wt/vol) containing lysozyme (0.25 mg/mL) and EDTA, disodium salt (Na(2)-EDTA, 50 mM). The MAP was made up of 30% CO(2), 5% O(2), and 65% N(2). The speed of quality loss for the Fior di Latte cheese, stored at 10 degrees C, was assessed by monitoring pH and weight loss, as well as microbiological and sensorial changes. Results showed that the combination of active coating and MAP improved Fior di Latte cheese preservation, increasing the shelf life to more than 3 d. In addition, the substitution of brine with coating could allow us to gain a double advantage: both preserving the product quality and reducing the cost of its distribution, due to the lower weight of the package.