The Ultimate Guide to Modified Atmosphere Packaging

-Do you really know the modified atmosphere packaging?

1. What is Modified Atmosphere Packaging?

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is a modern preservation technology that adjusts the gas composition inside the packaging to extend the product’s shelf life. You often see this in fresh meat packaging and supermarket fruit and vegetable packaging.

The principle behind MAP is to modify the levels of O₂ , CO₂ , and N₂ inside the package based on the product’s characteristics and oxidation sensitivity. This helps slow down oxidation and inhibit microbial growth, keeping the product fresh for longer.

2. What Are Some Types of Modified Atmosphere Packaging?

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) can be categorized into three main types: by gas composition, by packaging method, and by application field. This helps to better understand its characteristics.

2.1 Classification by Gas Composition

• N₂ Packaging:N₂ is often used as a filler gas to displace oxygen inside the package, reducing the presence of aerobic bacteria and extending product freshness.
• CO₂ Packaging:CO₂ helps inhibit the growth of aerobic bacteria and mold, effectively extending shelf life. However, if the CO₂ concentration is too high, it may accelerate the souring of certain foods, so testing is essential before large-scale production.
• Mixed Gas Packaging:This is the most commonly used MAP method today. It combines CO₂, N₂, and O₂ in specific ratios to provide optimal preservation for different products.

2.2 Classification by Packaging Method

• Soft Film Gas-Flushing Packaging:You can choose external or internal vacuum packaging machines, including single/double-chamber vacuum packaging machines and fully automatic thermoforming vacuum packaging machines. These machines can be equipped with gas flushing functions to extend shelf life or prevent food from being crushed.
• Rigid Tray MAP Packaging:The product is placed in a MAP tray, which enters the vacuum chamber of the MAP machine. The vacuum pump removes air to achieve the lowest possible vacuum and residual oxygen level. Then, single or mixed protective gases are injected, and the package is sealed using a heat-sealing film.

2.3 Classification by Application Field

• MAP for Fresh Food:Commonly used for meat and fresh produce, this method adjusts the gas composition inside the packaging to maintain the product’s respiration activity, inhibit microbial growth, and extend freshness.
• MAP for Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Foods:Used for pre-packaged meals, RTE foods, cooked meat products, and marinated dishes. This packaging method preserves freshness, prevents spoilage, and retains the original flavor. The protective gas typically includes CO₂ and N₂.
• MAP for Baked Goods:Used for cakes, bread, croissants, baguettes, etc. The goal is to prevent mold growth and preserve the aroma and taste. The gas mixture mainly consists of CO₂ and N₂.
• MAP for Coffee:Coffee packaging in a modified atmosphere helps prevent fatty acid oxidation, which can cause spoilage. It is usually packed in pure nitrogen under oxygen-free conditions.
• The faster modified atmosphere food packaging:For sandwiches, pizzas, and similar items, oxygen-free protective gas packaging is commonly used. The gas mixture, usually CO₂ and N₂, is adjusted based on the food’s composition to maintain quality.

3. How Does Modified Atmosphere Packaging Work?

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) works by replacing the air inside the packaging with a controlled gas mixture. The process involves vacuuming out the existing air and refilling it with a specific combination of gases to create a balanced atmosphere. This helps slow down microbial growth, reduce oxidation, and extend the shelf life of food.

The working principle of modified atmosphere packaging is through the replacement of gas, vacuum and then filled with a mixture of gases so that the ratio of different gases inside the package dynamic balance to inhibit the growth of microorganisms, slow down the oxidation of food and metabolic reactions.

Perhaps I cite a double chamber vacuum packaging machine workflow can perfectly explain the modified atmosphere packaging specific workflow.

Double chamber vacuum packaging machine is one of the typical equipment for modified atmosphere packaging, the specific steps are as follows:

You first seal the roll of film installed on the machine, and then the food to be packaged in the prefabricated air-conditioned box or bag, where in the machine’s vacuum chamber, where the double chamber vacuum packaging machine has two independent studios, you can work alternately to improve efficiency.

Then the double chamber vacuum packaging machine through the vacuum pump vacuum, the packaging of air out of the package, so that the package is close to a vacuum environment.

Oxygen residue is usually controlled at less than 1%, for example, when you package cooked food you need to completely remove oxygen to inhibit aerobic bacteria; but when you package raw red meat you may retain a small amount of oxygen to maintain the color of the meat, and this is when you need to fill the protective gas.

However, how does modified atmosphere packaging protect food? You can fill a mixture of gases in a preset proportion according to the characteristics of the food:

For example, deli marinades: 70% nitrogen (N₂) and 30% carbon dioxide (CO₂) to inhibit bacteria and prevent crushing;

Raw red meat: 70-80% oxygen (O₂) and 20-30% carbon dioxide, to keep the meat color bright red and inhibit spoilage bacteria;

Baked goods: filled with 100% nitrogen to prevent oxidation and mold.

4. Why Is Modified Atmosphere Packaging Important?

Modified atmosphere packaging not only occupies an important role in the packaging industry, but also becomes one of the essential packaging methods in our daily life. The following is to introduce you to the importance of its specific aspects.

4.1 Extend the shelf life of your food and quality assurance

Map packaging inhibits the reaction of microbial growth and oxidation by only displacing the gas. Among them, you can see the red meat packaging in our life (such as beef, pork, lamb, etc.), causing high concentration of oxygen can maintain the bright red color of the meat, generally we pack red meat in the internal gas mixture in the combination of O₂ (70-80%) + CO₂ (20-30%) can make them can be in the effective eating period extended by 1-2 times. On the contrary, in the map packaging of poultry and meat, CO₂ inhibits their bacteria with good effect, Gu they need a higher concentration of CO₂ than oxygen.

4.2 It can reduce the dependence of food on chemical preservatives

As the contemporary people are no longer obsessed with the food can be preserved for a long time and under the chemical preservatives added to it, consumers are more inclined to healthy food preservation, map packaging is a good alternative to chemical preservatives in the preservation of the product status. Nowadays, we often see ready to eat food is very good to join its ratio adjustment, without adding too much preservatives can realize long-term preservation, in line with the goal of health.

4.3 Can reduce product loss and expand a larger market range

map packaging is very good to reduce your transportation and storage process of corruption. In our current market, map technology is well combined with cold face, so that products from other regional countries can be transported across borders and even across states, such as we can see durian from Thailand, melon from Japan, beef from Australia and so on. Thanks to MAP, merchants can expand the scope of sales. According to statistics, modified atmosphere packaging can reduce the loss rate of perishable food by more than 30%, which is a good loss prevention measure for merchants.

4.4 It can improve the appearance of the products.

Tray plus roll film packing can visualize the specific shape of the product and enhance the consumer buying experience. map packaging is packaged by the corresponding modified atmosphere packaging machine. Which has a design or transparent roll film material can be a good display of the state of the food, but also can be very good protection due to extrusion and deformation caused by the impact of aesthetic.

4.5 Can promote the upgrading of the packaging industry

With the continuous upgrading of modern map packaging, intelligent sensing and dynamic gas regulation technology and then continue to optimize, can further control the quality of food. Now, part of North America and Europe introduced when monitoring the gas composition of the packaging equipment to optimize their packaging solutions.

5.Is Modified Atmosphere Packaging Safe?

Modified Atmosphere Packaging is safe under the premise of high quality and edible packaging materials and good quality of the product itself, using N₂, CO₂, O₂, etc. which are food grade gases in compliance with the international and domestic food safety standards, and packaged in a strict and safe packaging process. However, it does not exclude that there will be product leakage and safety problems caused by the wrong gas composition ratio, so we suggest that businessmen can strictly follow the international standard guidelines for packaging.

6.Benefits Of Modified Atmosphere Packaging For Retailers And Suppliers

For retailers and suppliers, Modified Atmosphere Packaging can greatly extend the shelf life of food products, which is a good guarantee that the food products will be sold within a certain period of time.

However, the design of the map packing box is also very appealing to consumers as they can visualize the condition of the food.

Secondly, map packing can greatly reduce food waste. Since it reduces the probability of food spoilage, it reduces the waste of resources.

-Modified atmosphere packaging disadvantages

Of course, a technology doesn’t always have its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. map packaging is a demanding technology, with complex gas mixing ratios that need to be researched and tested by a team of specialists. Secondly, it relies on the integrity of the automated equipment, so if you just want to buy a map packaging machine alone, it’s not enough. Moreover, it is several times more expensive than a normal vacuum bin packaging machine. If the gas is changed internally due to unprofessional equipment or poor sealing, the quality of the food will be affected.

This one is our automatic tray sealing machine.

FAQ

1.What are some examples of modified atmosphere packaging applications?

In our life, modified atmosphere packaging of meat is the most common example. Of course, it is also possible to package vegetables, fruits, bread, sausages, dairy products, RTE food, seafood and other aquatic products.

2.How does high-oxygen modified atmosphere packaging preserve food?

High-oxygen MAP protects food by maintaining a high concentration of oxygen inside the package. Generally, red meat is the most commonly packaged food. The high concentration of oxygen can inhibit the growth of some anaerobic spoilage bacteria (such as Clostridium botulinum), combined with the low temperature refrigeration storage temperature, can effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

3.What is the difference between modified and controlled atmosphere packaging?

4. When to use modified atmosphere packaging?

We commonly use Modified Atmosphere Packaging in food preservation needs mostly. In fresh meat, vegetables, aquatic seafood, cooked foods and baked goods.