Enhancement of the Shelf Life of Malabar Parathas\nthrough the Evaluation of Oxygen Scavenging

The increasing demand for fresh,\nready-to-eat products necessitates\neffective preservation methods to extend shelf life while maintaining\nquality. Malabar paratha, a renowned flatbread in Indian cuisine,\nis cherished for its unique taste and texture; however, it often suffers\nfrom a short shelf life due to mold growth and textural deterioration.\nTo address this issue, our study aimed to enhance the shelf life of\nMalabar parathas through active packaging using a natural rubber-based\noxygen scavenger. We employed a combination of physicochemical analyses\nand sensory evaluations to assess the impact of the oxygen scavenger\non key quality attributes, including moisture content, water activity,\nperoxide value, free fatty acid value, pH, color, and total bacterial\ncount during storage. Additionally, sensory evaluation was conducted\nto determine consumer acceptability. The study utilized two treatments:\na control group with PET–PE packaging and a treated group incorporating\nan oxygen scavenger sachet. The Malabar parathas were packed in PET–PE\npouches, which had a water vapor transmission rate of 3.476 g/m<sup>2</sup>/day and an oxygen transmission rate of 1140.569 cc/m<sup>2</sup>/day. We tested two storage conditions: 37 ± 2 °C\nwith 90 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) and 27 ± 2 °C with\n65 ± 5% RH. Analysis revealed that control samples exhibited\ndeteriorating quality after 2 days at 27 ± 2 °C and 65 ±\n5% RH, and after 1 day at 37 ± 2 °C and 90 ± 5% RH.\nIn contrast, treated samples-maintained quality for 4 days at 27 ±\n2 °C and 65 ± 5% RH, and for 2 days at 37 ± 2 °C\nand 90 ± 5% RH, effectively doubling their shelf life. Furthermore,\ntreated samples showed improved moisture content, water activity,\nperoxide, and free fatty acid values compared to control samples,\nwhile also preserving freshness, sensory properties, and microbial\nintegrity. Enhancing the shelf life of Malabar parathas can mitigate\nfood waste and add value to the food industry, both domestically and\nin export markets. These results underscore the potential of active\npackaging solutions in enhancing food preservation.