Impact of modified atmosphere packaging on the quality changes of protein-fortified gluten-free pasta during storage

Gluten-free fresh pasta is highly susceptible to nutritional deficiencies and rapid quality deterioration, demanding effective preservation strategies. This study first optimized the formulation of a brown rice-green banana flour pasta by evaluating 0-45% fortifications of a protein isolate produced from a blend of rice bran and mung bean protein isolates, determining 15% as optimal for structural and sensory attributes. Subsequently, the impact of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality changes of this optimized pasta was evaluated during refrigerated storage (4 °C). Samples were packed under three MAP gas ratios (N 2 :CO 2 at 70:30, 60:40, 50:50) and compared to air-packaged controls. Gas composition, color, pH, moisture, water activity, texture profile, and microbial growth were monitored over storage. The 70% N 2 : 30% CO 2 MAP condition exhibited the best performance, significantly slowing down moisture loss, maintaining stable water activity, and retarding the increase in pasta hardness compared to other treatments. These findings demonstrate that a 70% N 2 : 30% CO 2 atmosphere, combined with 15% protein fortification, represents an effective strategy to preserve the quality of gluten-free fresh pasta, facilitating its market viability.