OXICOOK is an innovative pilot project currently under development that works to understand —and minimize— the causes of color loss in sliced cooked meat products during distribution and commercial display.
The discoloration of cooked meat products is not due to a single cause. It results from a combination of factors that interact throughout the entire value chain: from product formulation and processing, to the packaging system, the presence of residual oxygen within the packaging, the type of material used, the gas-to-product ratio, the cold chain, and finally, the lighting at points of sale, currently based on LEDOXICOOK systems. This project draws on scientific knowledge with a comprehensive approach to address this complexity. It analyzes how light and oxygen interact with the pigment responsible for the characteristic pink color of cooked meat products, and how small imbalances can accelerate photo-oxidation processes that spoil the product's appearance and lead to its rejection.
Currently, the OXICOOK pilot project is immersed in its development phase, focused on: the study of critical parameters during packaging that influence color stability during commercial shelf life under commercial simulation conditions, the evaluation of combined formulation strategies (ingredients with antioxidant potential and bioprotective cultures), packaging (materials, parameters and technologies) and shelf exposure conditions for the improvement of the stability of the packaged product, and the generation of applicable and scalable knowledge for the meat and packaging industry.
All this work is carried out without losing sight of a key objective: to reduce food waste without compromising the shelf life or organoleptic characteristics of sliced cooked meat products.
Results: creation of an antioxidant technological aroma
The results obtained so far confirm that discoloration of sliced cooked meat products is caused by a combination of sufficient residual oxygen and the intensity of light on store shelves. Since opaque packaging, which would be a good solution to the problem, is not the preferred option in the Spanish market, the project has identified strategies to minimize discoloration, such as reducing residual oxygen through improved vacuum levels, optimizing slice placement and the gas-to-product ratio, and developing packaging materials with filters that target specific wavelengths within the visible light spectrum.
Possible solutions based on oxygen scavengers and ingredients that improve color stability are also being studied, with the aim of reducing waste without affecting product acceptance.
As a result of the research carried out in the project, carinsa has developed PAYMOX (Patent filed P 202630052), a technological flavoring with antioxidant properties for cooked meat products. PAYMOX combines amino acids and plant extracts rich in polyphenols, which contribute to the product's color stability by transforming nitrite into nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore, it exerts an antioxidant action that helps preserve the color during the cooking process, as well as throughout its storage.
A strategic alliance across the entire value chain
One of OXICOOK's greatest strengths is its collaborative nature. The project is driven by a multi-sector consortium that includes companies producing cooked meat products, manufacturers of packaging materials and machinery, retail companies, research centers, and industry organizations.
The Operational Group carrying out this innovative pilot project is led by Carinsa and coordinated by the Packaging Cluster, and has the participation of The Jungle, Monells and Noel as beneficiary members; with Enplater, TPL, Kao Chimigraf, ULMA, Bonpreu Esclat and Ametller Origen as non-beneficiary members; as well as with the participation of IRTA as a research center; and with the collaboration of MULTIVAC, FECIC and Hispack in transfer and communication tasks.
