Effect of modified atmosphere packagingand cinnamon and ginger essential oilson microbial growth and sensory propertiesof creamy donuts

 The effect of different concentrations of three types of gas mixtures (carbon dioxide, nitrogen),as well as vacuum and ordinary condition and ginger and cinnamon essential oils were evaluated to prolong shelf life of of creamy donut at ambient (25ºC) in one 4-layer container (119 μ).

 Ordinary packaging, as control samples were compared with four type of modified atmosphere packaging 1) 80% CO2 + 20% N2; 2) 20% CO2 + 80% N2;3) 50% CO2 + 50% N2, and 4) under vacuum condition along with injection ginger and cinnamon essential oils and samples without essential oils. Experiments were performed on samples as follows microbial test (aerobics count, mold and yeast count ),‌‌chemical pH test, amount of dripped water and sensory evaluation during 20 days.

 The shelf life, of creamy donut samples were reported with ginger essential oil under gas compositions, 80% CO2; 50% CO2 & 20% CO2 20, 19, 16 days in vacuum and ordinary conditions were 13, 11 days respectively, with cinnamon essential oil under different modified atmospheres, vacuum and ordinary conditions were 18, 16, 14, 11,‌‌ 9 days, without essential oil injection, under gas compounds above and vacuum and ordinary conditions were 15, 13, 11, 9, 6 days respectively.

 The best condition belonged to samples containing ginger essential oil under conditions 80% CO2 till 20 days, which had desirable effects on microbial population (aerobics bacteria "4.82 logcfu/ml", mold & yeast "2.56 logcfu/ml"), amounts of pH (5.49), dripped water (%0.61) and also sensory properties of samples.