Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Food preservation technology accounts for two main factors of ever-increasing importance, extending product life and reducing the amount of additives used. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) allows for these demands to be met. MAP involves modifying the atmosphere surrounding the product inside the package. This in turn allows chemical, enzymatic, or microbiological reactions to be controlled and therefore reduces or eliminates the main processes of deterioration in the product. The package usually has a low permeability to gas, so that the initial concentrations of the added gases remain unchanged after the package is sealed.

MAP can be used to extend the shelf life of many fruit and vegetables. Most fruit and vegetables age less rapidly when the level of oxygen in the atmosphere surrounding them is reduced. This is because the reduced oxygen slows down the respiration and metabolic rate of the products and therefore slows down the natural aging process. Elevating the level of carbon dioxide to levels of 2% or more can also be beneficial. Elevated CO2 levels can reduce the product's sensitivity to ethylene and can also slow the loss of chlorophyll. High CO2 levels can also slow the growth of many of the postharvest fungi that cause rot. All these effects can help to extend the storage and shelf life of fresh produce.

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