Nanocomposite LDPE films containing Ag and ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by melt mixing in a twin-screw extruder. Half of packages prepared from the films were then filled with fresh orange juice and stored at 4 o C and for the other half, filled fresh orange juice, were pasteurized (55 and 65 o C for 16 seconds) and again stored at 4 o C. Microbial stability, ascorbic acid (AA) content, browning index, color value, and sensory attributes of them were evaluated after 7, 28, and 56 days of storage for fresh orange juice and up to 112 days of storing for pasteurized orange juice. The efficiency of combined heat treatment and antimicrobial packaging in order to reduce the light pasteurization temperature of orange juice was assessed Packages containing the nanomaterials, expect 1% nano-ZnO, kept the microbial load of fresh juice below the limit of microbial shelf life (6 log cfu/ml) up to 28 days The results of the two-way interaction between heat treatment and packaging type showed that it is possible to reduce of pasteurization temperature (65 o C) by using nanocomposite packaging containing Ag by 10 o C. Packages containing nanosilver increased shelf-life of fresh juice although part of its sensory attributes was lost.
