A new antioxidant active
packaging material for food has been designed and develo
ped, consistingof a
poly
pro
pylene film in which some natural antioxidants have been immobilized. The antioxidant
pro
perties of the new material have been tested by using both
pure myoglobin and fresh beef steaks.Two different cell configurations (glass vial and Petri dish) and four different myoglobin concentrations-according to the common content of this com
pound in fresh meat and meat derivatives (1080, 1995,3332, and 4414
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g g
-1, res
pectively)-have been evaluated in oxidation studies. Furthermore, threedifferent concentrations of natural antioxidants in the film (designated as PR1, PR2, and PR3) wereevaluated. Once myoglobin sam
ples and the active films were introduced in the cell, they were ex
posedto cool white fluorescent light to accelerate oxidation for a
period of time ranging from 5 to 30 days.Remaining myoglobin concentration was measured by molecular absor
ption UV-vis s
pectro
photometry at 409 nm. Organole
ptic
pro
perties and color, texture, and
physical characteristics of freshmeat
packaged with the new active film have also been measured to evaluate the shelf life of the
packaged meat. Results showed that, com
pared to normal
poly
pro
pylene, the active film containingnatural antioxidants efficiently enhanced the stability of both myoglobin and fresh meat againstoxidation
processes, thus being a
promising way to extend the shelf life of fresh meat.