Yakın tarihli bir bilimsel çalışmada Hazır Gıdaların raf ömrünün uzatılması incelenmiştir. Bu çalışmada taze meyve salatasının raf ömrünün uzatılması için geliştirilen gümüş-montmorillonit bileşimi ve bu bileşimin mezofilik bakteri, koliform, laktik, asit bakteri, küf ve maya üzerindeki etkileri incelenmiştir.

Antibakteriyel özellik taşıyan gümüş-montmorillonit bileşiminin mikrobiyel büyüme ve gelişiminde etkil olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Deneysel sonuçlar, gümüş-montmorillonit bileşiminin meyve salatasının raf ömrünü ciddi bir şekilde uzatabildiğini gösterdiği belirtilmiştir.

Çalışmanın İngilizce özetine aşağıda yer verilmiştir.

Antimicrobial Silver-montmorillonite Nanoparticles To Prolong The Shelf Life Of Fresh Fruit Salad
Costa C, Conte A, Buonocore GG, Del Nobile MA.
Department of Food Science, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
PMID: 21684619 [PUBMED – indexed for MEDLINE] Int J Food Microbiol. 2011 Aug 15;148(3):164-7
In this work, silver-montmorillonite (Ag-MMT) antimicrobial nanoparticles have been obtained by allowing silver ions from nitrate solutions to replace the Na(+) of natural montmorillonite and then to be reduced by a thermal treatment. Ag-MMT were used as active antimicrobial compounds to improve the shelf life of fresh fruit salad. In order to assess their influence on product shelf life, sensorial and microbiological quality has been monitored during the storage. The microbiological quality was determined by monitoring the principal spoilage microorganisms (mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, coliforms, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and molds). Additionally, the evolution of sensorial quality was assessed by monitoring color, odor, firmness and product overall quality. The Ag-MMT nanoparticles seemed to be effective in inhibiting microbial growth, above all at the highest tested concentration. Consequently, the sensorial quality of samples stored in the active packaging appeared to be better preserved. Thus, experimental results showed that a significant shelf life prolongation of fresh fruit salad can be obtained by a straightforward new packaging system.