With the fast-global development of packaging techniques, the potential antimicrobial effect of CO₂, as a safe, cheap and readily available gas, makes it the integral component for packaging of meat products. The associated spoilage and/or pathogenic bacteria on raw meat may respond in different ways to elevated CO₂ concentrations. The growth of some aerobic Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp. is significantly inhibited but some LAB bacteria may be allowed to grow faster and dominate the product. The antimicrobial efficacy of enriched CO₂ packaging is attributed to the rate of CO₂ solubility in the product which is itself affected by the level of headspace CO₂, product pH, temperature and the ratio of headspace gas to product (G:P). This review, first, explores the varied range of beef and sheep meat spoilage and pathogenic bacteria and the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters that may influence the pattern of microbial growth and meat spoilage rate during storage. Then, the antimicrobial mechanism of elevated CO₂ packaging will be discussed and the different approaches of achieving enriched CO₂ packaging i.e. the traditional technique of flushing a desired gas mixture and/or using the new commercially developed CO₂ emitters will then be compared in terms of their strengths, limitations and technical mode of action.

• Bioactive compounds such as total phenols maintained better by ultrasonication. • Weight loss of ultrasonicated arils was lower during storage. • Microbial load of arils decreased by ultrasonication within storage time.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of processing aids and techniques such as talcum powder (2% w/w), calcium carbonate (2% w/w), warm water dipping (45 °C), combined treatment (warm water dipping+2% calcium carbonate) and control (without adding processing aid) on extractability and quality of ‘Tarom 7’ olive oil as randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the carotenoid content, K232, fatty acid profile or the Cox’s value in the oil obtained from untreated and treated fruits with processing aids. The highest chlorophyll content (0.84 mg/kg), total phenolic content (236.94 mg/kg), paste extractability (8.5%) and the lowest peroxide values (0.32 meqO2/kg), K270 (0.38) were obtained from the oil extracted with 2% talc powder. According to the results, it can be suggested that the 2% talc powder treatment could have a positive effect on olive oil quality and paste extractability.

Among different physiological stages of development, the fruit of many date palm cultivars is harvested at Tamar stage. But for some cultuvars, which have low tannin content, fruit can be harvested and consumed at khalal stage when it is crispy in texture and sweet in taste. Due to have an active metabolism and high water content, storage and marketing of khalal date is limited by skin wrinkling and quick incidence of soft brown spots (SBS). This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different packaging methods (control, passive MAP, MAP + ethylene scavenger sachet) and then storing at 5 or 15°C on the quality of khalal date fruit cv. barhee. During 27 days of storage, fruit were analysed in three day intervals and evaluated for different quality parameters, including flesh firmness, weight loss, titratable acidity, total soluble solids (TSS), incidence of SBS, electrolyte leakage and surface colour. MAP treatment with ethylene scavenger sachets was found to be effective in lowering weight loss (0.42%) and SBS (35%) and maintaining tissue firmness. Furthermore, other quality parameters experienced low changes in this treatment. Among the two storage temperatures, fruit which held at 5°C, remained firmer and showed superior in quality than those stored at 15°C.