Modified Atmosphere Packaging MAP provides extended shelf life for fresh produce by altering the internal atmosphere of packaging to slow respiration and prevent spoilage. Key gases used in MAP include nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide in varying combinations depending on the food and storage temperature. Innovation in MAP films now includes antioxidant, nano-active, and microperforated films. Future trends point to combining MAP with other preservation technologies, developing films that further inhibit microbial growth and oxidation, and predictive modeling to optimize gas compositions and shelf life.

1. Modified Atmosphere Packaging

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Table 1. History of MAP technology
Year Application
1930s Fresh carcass meat
1951 Chicken
1970s Bacon, fish and shellfish
1990s Fresh and chilled foods
1990s-2000s Use of noble gases

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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 .

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

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27. Thank You…