A complete guide to the principles and practical application of modified atmosphere packaging Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is one of the most cost-effective, versatile, and commonly used methods of preserving food products available today. Employed in both ambient and chilled conditions, it can prolong shelf-life and preserve the quality of a wide array of items via careful processes of atmospheric engineering. The essential scientific principles underlying this technology can, however, be difficult to grasp and effectively apply. With Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Foods, esteemed food science professor Dong Sun Lee provides a thorough and practical explanation of all aspects of MAP. Chapters covering the development, impact, and day-to-day application of the technique give a well-rounded understanding of its pivotal role in the food industry, while accounts of other active packaging methods help to provide broader context. This important new book includes: Detailed guidance on all aspects of MAP – from its scientific background to its practical application Information on how specific MAP products may be developed according to their particular engineering principles Coverage of the related active and intelligent packaging techniques Discussion of relevant food safety issues and regulations Containing vital information for industry professionals and food science researchers alike, Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Foods is an essential text for all those working to improve the quality and shelf-life of the food we eat.

Modified atmosphere packaging may be defined as an active packaging method in which an altered atmosphere is created in the headspace that retards chemical deterioration while simultaneously retarding growth of spoilage organisms. Shelf lives of perishable products, such as dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables, and bakery items are limited by biochemical changes in the product catalysed by exposure to the normal atmosphere (21 % oxygen, 78% nitrogen and less than 0. 1 % carbon dioxide) and growth of spoilage organisms. Modification of the atmosphere within a package containing these products helps to better maintain the quality of the food under longer storage conditions and retards the growth of undesirable organisms. Of course, deterioration is also slowed by chilling, which is required for the transport to market of highly perishable items like meat, poultry and fish that would either spoil or have the potential for contamination by certain food pathogens. Chilling plus a modification of the atmosphere optimizes the keeping quality of food. Modification of the atmosphere has been known for over a century as a means of food preservation and has become a very popular means of food preservation in the latter part of the 20th century. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is practised extensively in Europe, Canada and the USo Both vacuum packaging (rem oval of air from the package) and addition of gases within the package are considered MAP.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has proved to be one of the most significant and innovative growth areas in retail food packaging of the past two decades. Bulk modified atmosphere packs have been an accepted form of packaging for meat and poultry in the USA since the early 1970s, but MAP is only now of being widely adopted. Today there is a substantial wholesale on the verge market for bulk packaged fresh vegetables and fruit, and the most significant retail MAP products are fresh pasta, pre-cooked poultry and sausage, and biscuits (a unique American product). The United Kingdom is the biggest single market for the modified atmosphere packaging of fresh chilled food products, accounting for about half of the total European market. A further quarter is represented by France. The success of MAP in both the British and French markets can be attributed to the large, highly sophisticated food retailing multiples and dense populations existing in both countries.

At the 50th Anniversary Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists the ten most significant innovations in food science developed during the past 50 years were named (Food Technology, September 1989). Among the "Top 10" innovations, controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP) for fruits and vegetables was listed 5th in order of importance. Of course, CAP is a forerunner of MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) in which a variety of food products are packaged under selective mixtures of atmospheric gases, but without the on-going maintenance (control) of the gas mixture. Development of packaging systems and films that are selectively permeable to specific gases has been the key element in the commercialization of controlled and modified atmosphere packaging of foods. It may not be far from the truth to say that since then there has been an explosion of activities around MAP/CAP, especially in research and development into various aspects of this technology. The application of MAP to some bakery products, fresh fruits and salads and fresh meats and meat products has reached a significant level both in Europe and North America. The increasing consumer demand for fresh or near-fresh products and convenient, microwavable foods has added impetus to the growth of MAP/CAP technology. It is, therefore, timely that a comprehensive book that provides scientific background and practical applications of the technology should be written.

Many factors are relevant in making the proper choice of food packaging material, including those related to shelf life and biodegradability. To meet these demands, new processing and preservation techniques have arisen, most notably modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and active packaging (AP). Modified Atmosphere and Active Packaging Technologies

This Brief critically reviews the applied techniques in all the studied vegetables and summarizes the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in all the quality parameters. In a brief introduction chemical and microbiological parameters that affect shelf life are mentioned, followed by a definition of modified atmosphere packaging. The referred vegetables are categorized into 10 categories: roots, tubers, leafy vegetables, fruits-vegetables, bulbs, stems and shoots, flowers, seeds, fungi and other. The effect of selected MAP applications on the shelf life of the vegetables is also highlighted. Along with atmosphere modification, several storage parameters such as temperature, several pretreatments, film permeability or light and dark storage conditions are studied and their interaction on the quality of the product is also taken under consideration. The increasing demand for healthier and “safer” foods has led the food industry in pursuit of storage technologies that will serve the primary role of storage life prolongation but with no sacrifice on nutritional value and without the presence of additives. MAP is a storage technique that has already proven to be effective in extending the shelf life of the product by reducing respiration rate and preserving all its quality characteristics. Due to many physiological factors that affect the shelf life of minimally processed vegetables (respiration rate, ethylene production, maturation and ripening) the selection of the ideal storage parameters (gas mixture, storage temperature, packaging film, and treatments prior to packaging) of MAP is a challenging procedure and must be planned carefully.

The second edition of Emerging Technologies in Food Processing presents essential, authoritative, and complete literature and research data from the past ten years. It is a complete resource offering the latest technological innovations in food processing today, and includes vital information in research and development for the food processing industry. It covers the latest advances in non-thermal processing including high pressure, pulsed electric fields, radiofrequency, high intensity pulsed light, ultrasound, irradiation, and addresses the newest hurdles in technology where extensive research has been carried out. - Provides an extensive list of research sources to further research development - Presents current and thorough research results and critical reviews - Includes the most recent technologies used for shelf life extension, bioprocessing simulation and optimization

Modified atmospheres are used to preserve foods without the need for unwanted preservatives. This book covers the subject from an industrial perspective and explains both how the technology works, and how it can be used. The editor and authors all have extensive practical knowledge of the subject and are world recognized authorities in the field. The new edition contains four new chapters and around 50% new material overall.

The first edition of Food Processing Technology was quickly adopted as the standard text by many food science and technology courses. While keeping with the practice of covering the wide range of food processing techniques, this new edition has been substantially expanded to take account of the advances in technology that have taken place since the publication of the first edition. The Second Edition includes new chapters on computer control of processing, novel 'minimal' technologies, and Ohmic heating, and an extended chapter on modified atmosphere packaging. It is a comprehensive - yet basic - text that offers an overview of most unit operations, while at the same time providing details of the processing equipment, operating conditions and the effects of processing on the biochemistry of foods. The book is divided into five parts, in which unit operations are grouped according to the nature of the heat transfer that takes place. Each chapter describes the formulae required for calculation of processing parameters, sample problems, and the effects on sensory characteristics and nutritional properties of selected foods. By combining food processing theory and calculations with descriptions of commercial practice and results of scientific studies, Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice, Second Edition helps readers make attractive saleable products and extend the shelf-life of foods.