Enhancement of the Shelf Life of Malabar Parathas through the Evaluation of Oxygen Scavenging

The increasing demand for fresh, ready-to-eat products necessitates effective preservation methods to extend shelf life while maintaining quality. Malabar paratha, a renowned flatbread in Indian cuisine, is cherished for its unique taste and texture; however, it often suffers from a short shelf life due to mold growth and textural deterioration. To address this issue, our study aimed to enhance the shelf life of Malabar parathas through active packaging using a natural rubber-based oxygen scavenger. We employed a combination of physicochemical analyses and sensory evaluations to assess the impact of the oxygen scavenger on key quality attributes, including moisture content, water activity, peroxide value, free fatty acid value, pH, color, and total bacterial count during storage. Additionally, sensory evaluation was conducted to determine consumer acceptability. The study utilized two treatments: a control group with PET–PE packaging and a treated group incorporating an oxygen scavenger sachet. The Malabar parathas were packed in PET–PE pouches, which had a water vapor transmission rate of 3.476 g/m2/day and an oxygen transmission rate of 1140.569 cc/m2/day. We tested two storage conditions: 37 ± 2 °C with 90 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) and 27 ± 2 °C with 65 ± 5% RH. Analysis revealed that control samples exhibited deteriorating quality after 2 days at 27 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 5% RH, and after 1 day at 37 ± 2 °C and 90 ± 5% RH. In contrast, treated samples-maintained quality for 4 days at 27 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 5% RH, and for 2 days at 37 ± 2 °C and 90 ± 5% RH, effectively doubling their shelf life. Furthermore, treated samples showed improved moisture content, water activity, peroxide, and free fatty acid values compared to control samples, while also preserving freshness, sensory properties, and microbial integrity. Enhancing the shelf life of Malabar parathas can mitigate food waste and add value to the food industry, both domestically and in export markets. These results underscore the potential of active packaging solutions in enhancing food preservation.