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| What is MAP? | |||||||||||||||
Modified Atmosphere Packaging is a precise description of what this shelf-life extension technique is - and also what it is not. MAP is food packaging in which the earth's normal breathable atmosphere has been modified in some way. Usually combined with lowered temperatures, it is a highly effective method for extending the shelf-life of food. Shelf-life is prolonged in some applications by creating a simple vacuum in the package (vacuum packaging) and in these cases there is almost a complete absence of gas. In others, special permeable films allow naturally respiring produce to form its own atmosphere without the addition of external gases.
Once a fruit, vegetable or animal product is harvested or slaughtered it remains a suitable environment for bacteria which continue to function using the available carbohydrate, protein, fat and nutrients. These continuing processes lead to degradation including undesirable colour changes, loss of flavour and poor texture. The action of enzymes also causes deterioration of foods. In Europe, MAP mainly involves the use of three gases - carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen, although other gases are used where regionally acceptable. Products are packed in a single gas or a combination of these three gases depending on the physical and chemical properties of the food. Earth's atmosphere consists of: Nitrogen (79%), Oxygen (20 96%), Carbon Dioxide (0.04%), trace inert gases and water vapour Changing this balance results in a modified atmosphere. History of MAP The use of gases in the preservation of food products is by no means a new process. Much of the original work was carried out in the early 1930s with the shipment of beef and Lamb carcasses from Australia and New Zealand to the UK under carbon dioxide storage. During the 1940s and 1950s, sealed controlled atmosphere storage warehouses were constructed to prolong the effective shelf-life of fresh apples under refrigeration. Hence the commercial applications of gas preservation were largely confined to the controlled atmosphere storage and transport of bulk commodities such as meat and fruit. Now you see MAP used to package anything from fresh salads and individual meat portions to sandwiches and snacks. Today it is a sophisticated technique with ever-increasing benefits to both supplier and customer. MAP - adding value Food, glorious food - in its natural, eye-catching colour - is what the customer expects from the food industry. And week in, week out, Modified Atmosphere Packaging techniques help the retailer to deliver. Extended shelf-life, greater choice and a reduction in food-related health hazards are some of the valuable benefits of MAP but are not as apparent to the shopper as the presentation of the food itself. This is where MAP adds even more value for the retailer enabling food to look better for longer. Why use MAP? Europe has proved to be the perfect marketplace for those food suppliers investing in MAP technology. In fact the logistical, demographic and cultural structure of Europe is such that few fresh and chilled food operations of any size could now survive without it. Many parts of Europe have a tradition of fresh food with short travel times to markets. In the last 25 years, the change from an industrialised base to a service economy has seen the emergence of new family structures and work patterns which, in turn, has led the demand for more convenient food. The creation of nationwide, European and international supermarket chains, has led to a highly competitive trading environment, forcing quality up and operational costs down. For the food industry, one of the important effects of these significant social, economic and business changes has been to open the door to MAP. Hundreds of food businesses have stepped through, using MAP to form valuable new trading relationships with the multiples and other, smaller chains and independents. Because Modified Atmosphere techniques are ever changing and improving, that door of opportunity remains open. There is a great deal of advice and support available from equipment and film manufacturers, specialist gas suppliers such as Air Products, and research bodies such as Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association and Leatherhead Food international. Extension of shelf-life Depending on product, shelf-life can be usefully extended by between 50% and 500% using MAP techniques. This means that waste is minimised and re-stocking and ordering can become more flexible. As an example, a store turning over 100% of its shoppers every 10 days will be able to offer a non-MAP food item with a shelf-life of three days to just 30% of its customers. But the same food item packaged with a suitable Modified Atmosphere to give it a 10-day shelf-life will be available for purchase by ALL the store's shoppers. Minimisation of waste If there is a greater chance that a product will be sold, there is obviously less chance of it being throw away. Even with today's sophisticated management systems it is still not possible to accurately predict a supermarkets daily throughput. So having a greater shelf-life available enables a store to order more efficiently and to reduce wastage.
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