INFLUENCE OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE ON BREAD STALING DURING STORAGE

Staling of bread is one of the main problems in the field of Food pres ervation. Research work was carried out to assess the influence of atm osphere modification used for packing bread slices using nitrogen:carb on dioxide at different ratios (50:50; 0:100) and ethanol vapour. The staling process occurred after twenty days of storage time at room tem perature was assessed by rheological properties measured using an Inst ron Universal Testing Machine and by determination of gelatinization d egree with starch/iodine colourimetric measurements. Kinetics of water content changes during storage were also determined. Results showed a relevant decrease of gelatinization degree during storage after fifte en days for all samples. Modified atmosphere packaging appeared to be effective to slow-down the bread hardening of samples packed in atmosp heres containing air with a small amount of ethanol vapour and 100% CO 2.