ScienceDaily (Sep. 4, 2008) — Bread that goes moldy is the bane of consumers and bakers alike, ruining appetites and wasting food and money. Now, researchers in Spain report development of a new type of paper packaging made with cinnamon oil that appears to prolong the freshness of bread and other baked goods by up to 10 days.

The packaging appears safe and environmentally friendly.

In the new study, Cristina Nerín, A. Rodriguez, and D. Ramón Battle point out that scientists have tried many different approaches for fighting mold growth in bread, including ultraviolet light, sterile packaging, and the use of chemical preservatives. So-called active packaging, which attacks bread mold with antimicrobials, may provide a better alternative, the researchers say.

The scientists prepared active packaging composed of paraffin wax paper with different concentrations of cinnamon essential oil, which has high antimicrobial activity. They then inoculated fresh white bread with a common mold species and stored the bread in either plain wax paper or cinnamon-based wax paper for several days. After just three days, the packaging containing just 6 percent cinnamon oil inhibited 96 percent of mold growth, whereas the plain wax paper did not prevent mold growth, the researchers say. The cinnamon-based wrapper continued to inhibit mold for up to 10 days.

Journal reference:

1. Rodri%u0301guez et al. New Cinnamon-Based Active Paper Packaging against Rhizopusstolonifer Food Spoilage. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008; 56 (15): 6364 DOI: 10.1021/jf800699q

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Chemists have created a new type of cinnamon-based paper packaging that could keep baked goods fresher for an extra 10 days. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

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