Shelf-life of iron rich ready-to-eat snacks: Impact of vacuum and modified atmospheric packaging under different storage conditions

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remains a major health issue, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Despite supplementation and fortification efforts, IDA prevalence remains high, highlighting the potential of ready-to-eat (RTE) iron-rich food formulations to complement existing strategies. This study introduces two RTE formulations - iron-rich nutrition bar and savory chips, developed using traditional, preservative free ingredients. The impact of advance packaging techniques, vacuum packaging (VP) and modified atmosphere packaging with nitrogen flush (MAP-N₂), was evaluated under ambient and accelerated storage conditions, for their effects on the physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of these snacks. Both packaging methods effectively preserved product quality; however, VP outperformed MAP-N₂ in retaining vitamin-C levels (crucial for enhancing iron bioavailability) and maintaining texture. The vitamin-C to iron molar ratio was consistently maintained at a minimum of 5.4:1, ensuring optimal iron absorption. No significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, or peroxide values between the two packaging types. Shelf-life kinetics revealed that VP samples had a significantly longer shelf-life compared to MAP. Under accelerated storage conditions, the products showed minimal microbial growth, indicating their safety for a "use by" period of 90 days. This research highlights the potential of preservative-free, nutrient-dense RTE snacks as an affordable and accessible solution to combat IDA. The results underscore the importance of packaging and storage conditions in maintaining the nutritional integrity and safety, positioning such snacks as viable alternatives for improving dietary iron intake and addressing a major nutritional deficiency affecting millions globally.