Effects of Packaging Conditions on the Flavor Stability of Dry Whole Milk

The flavor stability of dry whole milk packed with air, nitrogen, or a mixture of 92% nitrogen and 8% hydrogen (NH) in gas‐impermeable pouches containing palladium as a catalyst was evaluated by measuring headspace volatile, oxygen, carbon dioxide contents using gas chromatography, brown color formation by reflective spectroscopy, and sensory scores. The headspace volatile and carbon dioxide contents of the dry whole milks packed with air or nitrogen were significantly higher (P <0.05) than the samples packed with NH. Brown color formation and sensory scores of products packed with air were significantly different (P <0.05) from the samples packed with 92% nitrogen and 8% hydrogen. The flavor stability of dry whole milk could be increased by packaging the products with NH in pouches containing palladium.