How Food is Protected Thanks to Today’s Innovative Packaging Processes

Today’s food industry relies upon modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to keep food fresh and palatable. The process isn’t difficult to understand: gases are added to packages that slow spoilage and protect foods from elements that can spoil or taint it.

7 factors that MAP can prevent in the packaging of food 

• Light exposure can deteriorate food, but when gases are added, exposure to light is reduced or diminished.
• Infestations of parasites and rodents can be mediated by select gases that create a food barrier, eliminating smells that attract both to food.
• Microorganisms like bacteria, mold and yeast grow fast, contributing to food spoilage. The MAP process stops this growth by eliminating oxygen needed by these microorganisms to thrive.
• Physical damage to packages can ruin contents, but the addition of select gasses can act as a cushion that safeguards especially fragile products like potato chips and crackers. 
• When foodstuffs are exposed to oxygen, fats can turn foods rancid or make them prematurely stale. Oxygen can also impact food color.
• High temperatures promote food spoilage, which is why gases in concert with multi-ply packaging are becoming the hallmark for temperature control that maintains the integrity of packaged food. 
• Time is a big factor when it comes to food spoilage. The use of modified atmosphere packaging gases extends freshness and allows producers to use fewer artificial additives, a fact consumers appreciate. 

Gases that keep foods safe and fresh

While some gases are not used for the purpose of packaging foods because they’re too expensive or not stable, these 5 help foods remain at peak taste and freshness:

• Carbon dioxide (Co2) slows down oxidation. It’s frequently paired with nitrogen to slow the growth of bacteria, microorganisms, and yeast. Co2 is used to preserve soft drinks, sparkling waters, and beers as well as hard cheeses and yogurts. 
• Helium (He) is essential to the complicated process of detecting gas leaks in food packages, thus it’s regularly used during the MAP process. 
• Carbon monoxide (CO): This colorless, odorless, tasteless gas preserves and stabilizes the natural flavor and color of meat. Further, CO slows down spoilage and tenderizes meats, serving a unique purpose at meat processing plants requiring extra measures to keep foods safe. 
• Nitrogen (N2): Nitrogen, another tasteless and odorless element, is regularly paired with other gases to make sure packages don’t collapse around contents, especially foods that include high moisture and fat content. Used to give potato chips, nuts, cocoa, coffee, and powdered milk “breathing room,” N2 also acts as a filler in beverages that range from wine and beer to soft drinks.
• Nitrous oxide: Nitrous oxide is vital to the production of propellants that dispense aerosol cream products. While still in very early stages, nitrous oxide is currently being used in the tilapia fillet packaging process to keep fish stable until it’s ready for preparation. 

As you can surmise, the introduction of vital gases to the food packaging process is not just helpful but essential. Next time you browse shelves and freezer cases at your favorite supermarket, keep in mind the important role the modified atmosphere packaging process plays in your life.