Rosemary and oxygen scavenger in active packaging for prevention of high-pressure induced lipid oxidation in pork patties

• High pressure processing (HPP) can extend shelf life of processed pork.
• HPP induces lipid oxidation in pork which affects product quality.
• Oxygen scavenging rate is critical for limiting lipid oxidation in HP-processed pork.
• Rosemary active packaging is an effective method to prevent HP-induced lipid oxidation in pork patties.

Three different packaging systems: vacuum packaging, rosemary active packaging, and oxygen scavenger packaging were compared for their ability to counteract lipid oxidation in pork patties upon storage at 5 °C for 60 days following high pressure processing (HPP) (700 MPa, 10 min, 5 °C). Lipid oxidation was studied at the surface and the inner part by measuring secondary lipid oxidation products (TBARs) and the tendency to form radicals by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Lipid oxidation was lower in the inner part than at the surface for all three packaging systems. Rosemary active packaging was the most effective method to protect pork patties from the HPP-induced lipid oxidation, while oxygen scavenger packaging was not effective since residual oxygen remained in the package in the initial period of storage. The kinetics of the oxygen trapping by oxygen scavengers appears to be a crucial factor for this application.