UPCT researchers extend the shelf life of products by up to three weeks
From left to right: Maria Rosa, Ginés Benito, Marta Barón and Antonio López, in the testing plant of the School of Agronomy. Image: Polytechnic University of Cartagena.
Researchers from the UPCT Food Technology area have achieved healthier breaded foods, croquettes, nuggets and other breaded meats with up to 90% less fat by encapsulating AVOE, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, in dietary fibre.
They have also managed to triple the shelf life of these refrigerated products, which are preserved at 4ºC.
The researchers achieved this through the research project “New Process Technologies for Healthy Breaded Products” (Ref. IDI-20190627), carried out by the company Fripozo in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Cartagena.
“The product gains in health and nutritional components by using encapsulated AVOE and increases its fibre content,” says Antonio López, researcher in charge of the refrigeration engineering and food safety group.
This new technology for making breaded pre-cooked dishes avoids frying in oil, adds López. “We don’t fry in oil, we use encapsulated EVOO and we pre-cook with infrared and hot air ovens,” he clarifies.
To achieve these results, the researchers mixed the encapsulated oil with breadcrumbs. They carried out tests with different meat products: ham, nuggets, croquettes and chicken tenderloin. The pre-cooking was carried out in different infrared and hot air ovens, installed in the pilot plant of the ETSIA (Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering).
Food prepared with this process “is healthier than that prepared with the traditional process,” adds the researcher. In addition, the shelf life of these products is considerably extended, going from one week to three weeks in some products. This is because microencapsulated EVOO controls microbial growth in the product “in a surprising way,” he adds.
The reduction in fat and the extension of shelf life have been achieved without increasing costs. “Quite the opposite, since frying in oil is avoided and such equipment is no longer needed at an industrial level,” says the professor.
This research has generated a patent, has been published in articles in several high-impact international journals and has been presented at different national and international conferences. In addition, it has led to the completion of the doctoral thesis of Marta Barón Yusty (defended with the highest grade of “cum laude” on 04/30/2024), who has a Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering, and who is currently working in Dublin (Ireland) at the famous pharmaceutical company Pfizer. This thesis has been directed by Antonio López Gómez, María Ros Chumillas and Ginés Benito Martínez Hernández.
