Effectiveness of modified atmosphere packaging and ovine whey powder in extending the shelf life of whey cheesecakes

- MAP and ovine whey powder allowed a six fold extension of shelf life of cheese cake than air packaging.
- No pathogen growth was observed.
- Sensory analysis confirmed the acceptability of the product.
- Ovine whey powder is cheap and easy to use, and may improve the nutritional quality.

The goal of this study was to determine if the combined use of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and substitution of 4% and 8% whey cheese with ovine whey powder (OWP) would extend the shelf life of whey cheesecake, compared with samples packaged in air and without OWP. To this end, whey cheesecakes were packaged under a N2/CO2 ratio of 70/30 and with air and stored for 60 days at 20 °C. Changes in microbial growth, in-package gas composition, chemical-physical parameters, texture, and sensory attributes were evaluated.The use of OWP and MAP extended the shelf life to 21 and 45 days, respectively, compared with the control samples that spoiled after 11 days. The combined use of MAP and OWP at the highest concentration further increased the mould-free shelf life of the cakes to 60 days. All of the samples underwent a significant increase in hardness during storage, but sensory acceptability was not impaired. Panellists did not find differences in sensory properties between control and OWP samples and gave an acceptability score over the threshold during the entire storage period.