Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)  [ Return towards  Meat / Poultry / Delicatessen  ]

MAP focuses on solid and pasty foodstuffs. For liquids, we have developed inerting applications.

This preservation technique:

• maintains the visible and perceptible quality of the product (appearance, colour, texture and taste) as well as its invisible quality (protection against micro-organisms), 
• lengthens product shelf life, 
• matches the preference for "natural" products and reduced preservatives.

MAP helps to eliminate or reduce potential product deterioration.

This preservation technique covers many types of products:

• fresh products such as meat, delicatessen products, pizza, bakery and pastry products, grated cheese, prepared vegetables, and cooked dishes, 
• dried products such as peanuts, milk powder, coffee, and potato flakes.

To use MAP, you must own or acquire a packaging machine and special film to protect the product. By optimizing the parameters, MAP can provide a highly successful solution.

MAP is now used worldwide, but has varying levels of penetration due to different consumer habits. It is a highly natural technique, and in many countries it is the preferred packaging solution.
Thanks to our extensive partnership with food producers worldwide, we have the experience to address a broad range of long-standing and more recent food concerns. Beyond a wide range of food grade gas mixtures, ALIGAL for MAP encompasses a full range of equipment and services like:

• microbiological filtration on our customers sites,
• on site gas mixing for fine tuned packaging atmospheres,
• audit installations and customer trainings. 

ALIGAL™ is a line of gases or mixes of gases. See below for an overview of the gases’ different shielding properties:

Nitrogen (N₂)

Nitrogen is mainly used to "displace and replace oxygen" in the package before it is closed. It prevents oxidation of pigments, flavorings and/or fatty acids. Nitrogen is inert, odorless, and has low solubility in water and fats. It has no direct bacteriostatic or fungistatic properties.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Carbon dioxide is a bacteriostatic and fungistatic agent - it slows down and reduces the proliferation of aerobic bacteria and molds, especially in the absence of oxygen. It is effective at concentrations above 20% in atmosphere. It has no stimulating effect on pathogenic organisms. CO₂ is very soluble in water and fats. This property may promote development of a slightly acidic taste if CO₂ use is not properly controlled. It can also cause film on packaged products to collapse. This may be either a drawback or a targeted effect.

Oxygen (O₂)

In general, oxygen is an undesirable element. In some applications, however, it is used as a constituent in a gaseous mixture. It is used in particular for maintaining the red color of meat. It also prevents the proliferation of strictly anaerobic organisms (e.g. for fresh fish).

Argon (Ar)

Argon is a chemically inert, odorless and tasteless gas. It is a ‘heavier’ gas than nitrogen, and is used to protect sensitive products such as wine. However, it is twice as soluble as nitrogen.
Argon has the same properties as nitrogen and does not affect micro organisms to any greater degree. Hence it can be used in a controlled atmosphere to replace nitrogen in most applications. Its solubility (twice that of nitrogen) and certain molecular characteristics give it special properties for use with vegetables. Under certain conditions, it slows down metabolic reactions and significantly reduces breathing.

Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

Nitrous oxide has a foaming effect and could be used as propellant in aerosols packaging. N₂O is a bacteriostatic and fungistatic agent but as distinct from CO₂ does not acidify. Prevents the secretion of Ethylene in fruit ripening. Disadvantage: greenhouse effect gas.

 Material Safety Data Sheets