Modified atmosphere packaging(MAP) has proven to be a quite flexible, small-scale means of extending the shelf life of fresh foods.
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of non-respiring foods, like meat, cheese, or peanuts, applies the gases in an altered ratio. The shelf life is prolonged because the two most important types of deterioration—physico chemical deterioration (e.g., browning of meat due to the action of oxygen) and microbial deterioration (e.g., the growth of molds in cheese and bakery products)—are blocked or prevented.
Fresh and freshly processed vegetables and fruits stay metabolically active after harvest, and this activity is essential for retaining their quality. To extend the shelf life of respiring products through Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), a suitable packaging system must be composed of a gas atmosphere that allows for a basic level of metabolism, which means that a certain amount of O2 should be available.
Recommended storage conditions for some non-respiring and respiring food products (Lioutas, 1988).
