How to increases the
shelf life of the product

A commonly used method of extending the shelf life of foodstuffs is MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging). The technique subsitutes the air inside a package with a protective gas mix.

The most commonly used gas mixes include carbon dioxide and nitrogen at various concentrations. Oxygen contained in the air causes growth of aerobic microbes that typically spoil fresh food products.

Thanks to its acidicity, carbon dioxide slows down the growth of microbes, while inert nitrogen is used as a filler gas. To retain the red colour of meats, a mixture of carbon dioxide and oxygen may also be used.

MAP in itself does not improve the standard of the product, which must be of high quality to start with. Only an unbroken cold chain guarantees that the quality of food products remains good.

The modification process often tries to lower the amount of oxygen (O2), moving it from 20.9% to 0%, in order to slow down the growth of aerobic organisms and prevent oxidation reactions. The removed oxygen can be replaced with nitrogen (N2), commonly acknowledged as an inert gas, or carbon dioxide (CO2), which can lower the pH or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Carbon monoxide can be used for preserving the red color of meat.

Putting the fizz into sparkling drinks.
Carbonation of drinks using highest purity carbon dioxide (CO2)