Effect of Packaging Types on Quality of Dried Lotus Stamens

Abstract

Dried lotus stamen was placed in different types of plastic bag including polypropylene (PP bag), PP bag with a moisture absorber (PP bag+MA), vacuum bag and aluminum foil zipper bag (AF bag) to maintain quality of dried lotus stamen. All samples were moved to store at 30ºC for 6 months. The color, moisture, antioxidant activities, carotenoid and odor of dried lotus stamen were determined. The results showed that the visual quality for the lotus stamen inside the four types of bags decreased continuously throughout of the storage period. The lotus stamen packaged in both vacuum bag and AF bag significantly had a better color of L* (37.57 and 41.57), a* (18.69 and 17.92) and b* (33.96 and 29.33), moisture content (4.55% and 4.05%), antioxidant (37.61 and 33.14%) and carotenoid content (40.51 and
40.00 mg/L) than PP bag and PP bag+MA. It was found that on the six month of storage, the lotus stamen inside the vacuum and AF bags had normal odor. On the other hand, the acceptable of odor for the produced packaged in the PP bag and PP bag+MA were not different and were unacceptable after storage for five months because of lotus stamen were odorless. At the end of six month storage period, the lotus stamen packed in PP bag significantly had the lowest L*, antioxidant and carotenoid content. However, qualities of sample in vacuum bag and aluminum foil significantly had showed antioxidant and carotenoid content more than plastic bag PP. The lotus stamens are rich in antioxidant and carotenoid content which makes them healthy, nourishing and also important ingredient in the food industry.