Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Introduction• As the consumers has become more conscious about their

health and awareness towards fresh foods has increased, they are willing to pay higher prices for better fresh produce.

• This has led to innovation in packaging technology by preserving the freshness, preventing nutrient losses and processed food consumption.

• MAP provides extended shelf life and improved product presentation in a suitable container.

• Fresh produce has the best quality at harvest which cannot be further improved but shelf life can be extended throughout the post-harvest processing.

Continued…• Various factor affect the consumption of fresh

produce.– Mostly this happens due to food borne diseases and its

different outbreaks.– To a lesser extent it is also due to maintenance of fresh

produce and off-season produce.– This issue arises due to the fact that fruits and

vegetables being biologically active can spoil due to physical injury, increase in water activity and other metabolic activities like respiration.

Continued…• MAP is a technology by which internal atmosphere of

perishable products packaging is altered.• It includes the removal and/or change in the gases for

head space environment before final packaging.• The implementation of MAP has been developed over

90 years (Table 1).• Fresh carcass meat was exported under controlled

atmosphere storage (CAS) in the 1930s.• Scientist investigated on the use of gas on extending

shelf life of fresh meat.

Table 1. History of MAP technologyYear Application

1930s Fresh carcass meat

1951 Chicken

1970s Bacon, fish and shellfish

1990s Fresh and chilled foods

1990s-2000s Use of noble gases

Continued…• It was reported that the shelf life of refrigerated meats

doubled when stored in 100% CO2 environment.• Studies conducted on the effect of enriched CO2

concentration (upto 25%) in chicken slice, resulted in increased shelf life.

• Fresh meat was commercially sold in MAP tray system in the early 1970s.

• Over the past few years MAP technology has increased considerably in various foods like meat, fish, fruits and salad vegetables.

Continued…• The major gases used in MAP are N2, O2 and CO2.• The various combination of gas depends on the

food product being packed at that storage temperature.

• Noble gases such as argon are used commercially for food products like coffee and other snacks, however its uses are limited.

• CO and SO2 are most commonly used gases in MAP on experimental level.

Continued…• Mainly used plastic flexible laminates are polyethylene (PE), polyamide

(nylons), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene(PP), polyvinyl chloride(PVC), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC).

• Rigid and semi-rigid structures are commonly produced from PP, PET, unplasticised PVC and expanded polystyrene.

• Other material such as Cryovac B2650 bags, biorientated polypropylene (BOPP) bags, Riloten 40/70X bags, micro-perforated PA-190 film, stomacher bag, macro-perforated packages and PD-961EZ bags are commercially available.

• The packaging material should hold properties like ease of manufacturing, clarity, heat sealing and strength.

INNOVATION IN MAP FILMS• Since there are differences in the respiration rates of

various foods, the use of plastic films will vary from commodity to commodity.

• In spite of mainly used polymers like PP, PVC, PET and LDPE, industries are developing new packaging films for MAP.

• Recent development includes antioxidant active films, micro-perforated films, nano active films and biodegradable films.

• Not all these films are used in MAP practice, but they are believed to be optimistic because of their improved property and functionality.

Antioxidant active films• Oxidation is the main cause for degradation of food products, which limits

the preservation and badly impacts the nutritional and organoleptic quality.

• So as to minimize oxidation, antioxidants need to be added.

• In spite of adding antioxidants to foods, active packaging with antioxidants properties is the topic of interest for newer packaging technology.

• They give more promising results than traditional packaging, in which inner food packaging material is integrated with antioxidants to minimize the oxidation of the food.

• Instead of adding directly, active packages method has several advantages like low active substance concentration, slow migration of antioxidant to the food from the film and reduce steps by including spraying, mixing or immersion in the industrial processes.

Nano active films• In recent development nanomaterials are found to be

promising and superior option for packaging.• Food packaging industry are improving the material

properties like physical, barrier and functionalities such as antimicrobial property and preserving quality of food.

• Use of nano metals such as nano-silver and nano- titanium oxide into the films to prevent microbial growth.

• Nano metals disrupt the membrane of the microorganism and change the permeability of microbes; by catalysis which affects the enzyme system and bacterial metabolism, hence microbes are killed.

Nano active films• The nano-silver film showed a considerable effect on growth

inhibition of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris and which was related to the quantity of silver ion liberates in the system.

• The experimental result shows that silver-polyethylene packaging can protect the fresh cut apple from colour change and loss in weight when stored at 5°C and 15°C.

• Polyethylene-TiO2 packed dairy product did not contain TiO2 after 11 days of storing, proposing it to be safe in food packaging.

• Research shows that use of more than two nano metal particles showed positive effect in the packaged food. LDPE film was mixed with nanopowder of nano-Ag, rutile TiO2, kaolin and anatase TiO2 .

Micro perforated films• To make MAP as successful packaging technology for fresh

food, packaging film should have good permeability properties for O2 and CO2 which balances the respiration rate of product.

• The film should have a ratio of O2/CO2 transmission nearing 1 and hence the headspace area has higher concentration of O2 and CO2.

• A research published showed that pork loin which were packed in micro perforated film showed better quality and extended shelf life than that packed in non-perforated films.

INNOVATION IN MAP GASES• Recently, other gases such as carbon monoxide

(CO), noble gases, ethylene, chlorine, nitrous and nitric oxides have been studied in MAP.

• Research on gas oxides and noble gas by which quality and shelf life of fresh produce can be changed is a study of interest.

Gas oxides• In meat and fish products, carbon monoxide is used upto 0.4%.

• While filtered smoke contains 30-40% CO in fish products.

• Metmyoglobin production can be stunted by CO, thus lipid oxidation and colour degradation reduces which results in good quality of meat.

• CO can turn the meat from brown to bright red but the misuse of CO can be detected by odour of such an ill-advised practice.

• Sulphur dioxide is used in grape as antimicrobial agent since 1960s.

• Nitrous oxide (N2O) helps in retardation of ethylene gas production in CAS of produce to increase the shelf life.

• N2O was used with reduced oxygen levels on ripening of banana and the results were very promising with no harmful effects.

• This gas is also used in onion bulbs and carnation.

Noble gases• Argon (Ar) can interfere with enzymatic O2 receptor sites and hence lead

to reduction in metabolism of the fresh produce.

• A research reported that if high pressure of Ar treatment is given to fresh cut pineapple then it extends the shelf life during cold storage.

• Arugula leaves showed 13-17% higher respiration rate in Ar rich environment as compared to Helium and N2.

• Noble gases can be used in combination with other gases such as CO2 and N2 to improve the effectiveness.

• Ar and CO2 in MAP have an advantage over vacuum and over-wrap packaging with respect to storing of fresh pork sausages for sensory quality.

Parameters and Result

Product Temp(◦C) %relative moisture

%O2 %CO2 Ethylene

Expels Sensitive

Apple 0-5 90 2-3 1-2 +++ +

Cucumber 8-12 90-95 3-5 0   ++

Grape fruit

10-15 85-90 3-10 5-10    

capsicums 8-12 90-95 3-5 5-10  + +

Mushrooms

0-5 90-98 5 10   +

Strawberry

0-5 90-95 10 15-20    

Preformed trays versus thermoformed trays• Preformed trays provides more flexibility in designing of

trays.• Greater varieties of preformed trays are available as

compared to thermoformed trays.• As per the marketing view preformed trays are more superior.• Physical properties of the trays can be handled with no

changeover.• Lesser time is required for changeover of preformed trays.• Thermoformed trays is cheaper than preformed trays.• Transportation cost is even higher for preformed trays. 

FUTURE TRENDS OF MAP FOR FRESH PRODUCE• The research in MAP has shown rapid growth in past decade which can be

seen increased publication from 2001 to 2011. The different trends in MAP are described as follow: 

• Amongst the various packaging technology MAP has a great potential to reach heights.

• As the demand for fresh produce is increasing, innovation in MAP will increase.

• This can be achieved by maintaining a balance between the manufacturers demand for cost reduction and consumers desire for healthier and appropriate fresh produce.

• Additional study is required on convenient gases, advance MAP technology, better films and new implementation methods to meet the demands for fresh produce.

• Different fresh produce require specific MAP parameters.

• Since there is no universal parameters available for all fresh produce it is necessary to enhance the technological parameters based on different commercially available fresh produce to extend the shelf life.

FUTURE TRENDS OF MAP FOR FRESH PRODUCE• Combining MAP with other technologies is the subject of new research.• Natural environments interest should be protected and pollution

reduction must be achieved by incorporating nano active films in MAP.• Need of development in package film that can prevent microbial

deterioration and oxidation of product.• Mathematical models in MAP should be analyzed to predict respiration

rate, shelf life, microbial growth and gas permeability.• The predictive system can be used for examining the various effects of

different gas atmosphere on the survival of pathogens, colour deterioration and their interaction with the food produce quality.

• A predictive system is beneficial during retail sale in changing model of MAP at various time and temperature combination.

CONCLUSION• MAP is likely to be one of the important technology for packaging

of fresh produce.• Advantages of MAP includes extending the shelf life, maintaining

the quality of fresh produce and suitable for use and marketing.• Challenges in MAP involves cost of the packaging material,

storage temperature and specific gas composition for specific product.

• Every technology has its own pros and cons and hence balance has to be achieved in such a way that can assure safety and quality.

• The application of various additives and other preservation techniques in collaboration with MAP is an area of research interest.

REFERENCES• Anon (1999) MSI Data Report: modified atmosphere packaging:

UK, MSI.• Benkeblia, N., Varoquaux, P. (2003). Effect of nitrous oxide (N2O)

on respiration rate, soluble sugars and quality attributes of onion bulbs Allium cepa cv. Rouge Amposta during storage. Postharvest Biology and Technology 30: 161-168.

• Bolumar, T., Andersen, M.L., Orlien, V. (2011). Antioxidant active packaging for chicken meat processed by high pressure treatment. Food Chemistry 129: 1406-1412.

• Bowyer, M.C., Wills, R.B.H., Badiyan, D., Ku, V.V.V. (2003). Extending the postharvest life of carnations with nitric oxide-comparison of fumigation and in vivo delivery. Postharvest Biology and Technology 30: 281-286.

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