PACKAGING ASPECTS OF SPICES & SPICE PRODUCTS 205 Chapter 12 PACKAGING ASPECTS OF SPICES & SPICE PRODUCTS A R Indiramma Food Packaging Technology Department Central Food Technological Research Institute Mysore 570 020 (INDIA) PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING 206 Chapter 12 PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING PACKAGING ASPECTS OF SPICES & SPICE PRODUCTS 207 Chapter 12 PACKAGING ASPECTS OF SPICES & SPICE PRODUCTS India is rightly called as “the home of spices” more concerned about biological infestation, as it produces and exports almost all the pesticide residues and the presence of toxins. spices except some leaf spices and herbs. Several consignments failed to reach the Apart from major spices like pepper, ginger, destination in good condition, one of the turmeric, cardamom, cumin, celery seed, reasons being improper packaging. Hence, chilli, fenugreek and clove, many minor proper functional packaging can be expected spices are grown in India. Totally about 52 to play an important role in maintaining kinds of different spices are grown . Blessed quality of spices during storage and with appropriate soil and climate and a transportation. wide knowledge about the use of spices in In the subcontinent, whole spices are foods, medicine, perfumes, etc., the country bought mostly in loose form. Packaged spices has the potential to develop into a quality are being sold only in cities where incomes market in spices. In terms of production, our are higher and convenience of a product is a country contributes 25-30% of the world priority. Bulk packed whole spices which production. During 2002-2003, India has are being transported across the country in exported spices to more than 100 countries gunny bags, tend to lose the oil content but and the exports are expected to go up further. not pungency due to heat. The relatively Most of the trade is in bulk packages. Half the high cost of spices and overwhelming world’s production of oils and oleoresins of importance of retaining their aromatic and spices is produced in India for use in special flavour components fully justify the flavourings, meat processing, confectionery, requirement of a functional retail package liquor, perfumery and cosmetics. even for the internal market. In spite of this large production, much Nature and Deteriorative Charact- attention has not been paid on their primary processing and packaging aspects. The eristics of Spices & Spice Products importing countries are particular about ‘Spices’ is the generic name for products standards relating to safety and hygiene derived from a variety of plant parts: bark, which may differ from country to country. bud, flower, fruit, root, seed or secretion. FDA But the regulatory authorities are always describes spices as “any aromatic vegetable PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING 208 Chapter 12 substance in the whole, broken or ground The relative humidities at which mould form that is used primarily to season food attacks different whole and ground spices at rather than to contribute nutrients” . The room temperature (25-28°C) are given in main quality contributing factors like aroma, Table 12.2. flavour and colour are sensitive to vagaries The microorganisms usually seen on raw of climate and during storage. They are spices, may not be harmful but give rise to affected by factors like high temperature and problems when used in food preparation. humidity, oxygen, respiration and heating So it is very important to check them. and insects, pests, microorganisms, rodents and birds which work in combination to 5. Insect infestation cause the following deteriorations: The problem of insect infestation in 1. Loss of aroma and flavour spices is quite serious. As many as 55 species Loss of aroma and flavour is caused by of insects like drug store beetle, cigarette the loss of volatile oil content due to beetle, coffee bean weevil attack spices and evaporation, seepage and oozing out spice powders. These insects require conge- through packaging material and/or due to nial atmosphere for their life. The tropical oxidation of some aroma components. This climate is very conducive for their activity is accelerated by temperature. and results in qualitative and quantitative losses. If warehouses are not ensured of 2. Bleaching of colour adequate protection against rodents, they Bleaching of colour occurs in spices like also cause a great deal of spoilage. green and bell pepper, green cardamom, turmeric, red chillies, paprika and saffron Packaging Material Requirement which contain natural pigments. This for Spices and Spice Products deterioration is caused by oxygen and To prevent or slow down the above accelerated by light, humidity and mentioned deteriorative changes during temperature and favoured by oxygen. storage, for easy handling, transportation 3. Loss of free flowing nature and to have export potential for spices, the package: The spice powders become soggy and lose their free flowing nature due to moisture 1. Should have the ability to protect the ingress from the surroundings through the contents from spoilage and spillage. package. The extent of free flowing nature at 2. Should offer protection against physico- different moisture contents (%) equilibrating chemical and microbiological spoilage to different relative humidites for five major due to environmental conditions like spice powders are given in Table 12.1. humidity, temperature, light and oxygen. Caking and lumping problems do not This requires a low water vapour and arise in whole spices; however, development oxygen transmission rates and light of musty odour does occur at higher RH. transmissivity. 4. Microbial spoilage 3. Should be a good aroma barrier to prevent At and above 70% RH, microbial spoilage loss of flavour substance from the product occurs in spices due to moisture sorption. and pick up of foreign odours. PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING PLASTICS INFOODPACKAGING PACKAGING ASPECTSOFSPICES&SPICEPRODUCTS Table 12.1. Moisture-humidity relationship of different spice powders at 27°C % Pepper Powder Turmeric Powder Coriander Powder Chilli Powder Cumin Powder RH EMC Remarks EMC Remarks EMC Remarks EMC Remarks EMC Remarks 11 2.5 FF 4.8 FF 4.7 FF 4.8 FF - 22 4.1 FF 6.4 FF 5.7 FF 5.5 FF 3.7 FF 32 5.7 FF 8.0 FF 6.4 FF 6.6 FF 4.6 FF 44 7.2 FF 9.5 FF 7.2 FF 7.6 FF 6.7 FF 56 9.2 FF 11.0 FF 9.6 FF 10.8 SS 8.3 FF 64 10.2 FF 12.1 SS 11.2 SS 12.9 SL 9.7 FF 75 13.2 SS 15.7 SL 13.3 Mould 17.5 Mould 14.7 SL 86 14.2 Mould 21.1 Mould 19.3 Mould 28.1 Mould 21.2 Mould 92 21.4 Mould 33.7 Mould 23.4 Mould -- 39.9 Mould CMC 10.5 12.2 11.5 13.2 10.0 CRH 65 65 65 65 65 RH = Relative Humidity CRH = Critical Relative Humidity SL = Soggy and lumpy EMC = Equilibrium Moisture Content FF = Free flowing SS = Slightly soggy CMC = Critical Moisture Content Source: Reports of R&D projects at CFTRI. 209 210 Chapter 12 Table 12.2. Initial moisture, equilibrium relative humidity, critical moisture and critical relative humidity at which mould attacks whole and ground spices at room temperature (25°C - 28°C) Spice Initial Equilibrium Mould growth Mould growth moisture relaive at moisture at relative (%) humidity (%) level (%) humidity (%) Cardamom, greater 7.79 45 14.16 - 22.19 73 and above (brown) (amomum) Cardamom (green) 10.46 40 16.90 - 22.78 73 and above Black pepper (whole) 8.19 28 17.74 - 23.34 73 and above Black pepper (powder) 6.48 29 13.92 - 16.82 73 and above White pepper (whole) 5.09 20 14.47 - 17.10 81 and above White pepper (powder) 6.64 18 15.11 - 18.79 81 and above Red chilli (whole) 4.63 10 16.50 - 24.67 81 and above Red chilli (powder) 7.48 8 21.28 - 28.10 81 and above Ginger (powder) 7.50 20 13.80 - 20.00 71 and above Ginger powder (sweetened) 6.50 11 11.00 & above 73 and above Curry powder 6.71 28 16.43 - 22.41 81 and above Mace (whole) 4.33 43 9.74 - 13.34 81 and above Fennel seed (whole) 8.16 50 24.33 91 and above Aniseed (whole) 8.00 62 21.11 91 and above Celery seed (whole) 8.96 53 25.09 91 and above Fenugreek seed (whole) 7.73 4 23.59 91 and above Coriander seed (whole) 6.68 13 13.57 - 19.19 81 and above Coriander (powder) 7.18 22 21.81 91 and above Cinnamon (whole) 3.24 4 16.67 91 and above Clove (whole) 6.42 30 22.19 91 and above Garlic (powder) 6.00 13 No mould No mould Garlic salt 2.46 5 No mould No mould Mustard flour (Coleman) 6.48 6 15.90 - 23.30 81 and above Turmeric powder 8.00 22 12.43 91 and above Onion powder 4.00 5 62.46 90 and above Source: Reports of R&D projects at CFTRI. PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING PACKAGING ASPECTS OF SPICES & SPICE PRODUCTS 211 4. Should have good oil and fat resistance used for storage of spices in warehouses. A characteristics. twill, B twill or DW gunny bags are used depending upon the value of the spice. The 5. Should have good machineabiliy weave clearance of 1-2%, 3-5% and 4-6%, characteristics and possess the required prevent spoilage and restrict movement of mechanical strength properties. insects into the gunny bags. Sometimes, double jute bags are also used for better 6. Should have good resistance to insects protection. Multiwall paper sacks or cotton and mites. bags are also being used.