MAP Packaging Meat

The modified atmosphere packaging or with the abbreviation of the name MAP packaging, has been an industry that removes the stones in the packaging and transport of the meat of new cut beef and poultry. As you know, meat is a food that deteriorates very quickly; bacteria have an effect on this. The name of this bacterium, which causes the meat to break down quickly, is aerobic bacteria. These bacteria need oxygen in the environment to survive.

As such, an atmosphere with little oxygen may sound useful. However, without map packaging meat option, it is not easy to store meat products. In particular, the biggest challenge for red meat, such as beef, is to preserve the red color that provides this delicious appearance.

In any case, the color of the meat in the open air tends to turn into brown.

How Does the Map Packaging Meat Help?

The main ingredient in fresh meat is a protein in its tissue. This is myoglobin protein. Myoglobin, which is actually purple, can be reacted with oxygen. Thus, it is possible to form red oxymyoglobin and brown metmiyoglobin proteins.

The oxygen level in the atmosphere promotes the formation of metmiyoglobin, which converts the color of the meat to brown. However, if a higher concentration of oxygen is achieved, it is possible to produce oxymyoglobin which is dark red.

Here is the magic of MAP technology. With a convenient retort packaging mix, the oxygen concentration in the package will be kept between 60 and 80 percent, and the appetizing red color of the meat will be maintained.

So what happens to bacteria in this case? Thanks to the carbon dioxide gas, the growth environment of these aerobic bacteria is largely prevented.

In this way, the balancing of gases in packaging with map packaging meat operation will bring the formation of germs causing deterioration of fresh meat to a halt. Thus, the delicious appearance of the meats will be preserved and a long shelf life will be provided.