Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) and cryogenic freezing: combining the best of both worlds
Keeping food fresher and safer for longer remains a critical challenge for the manufacturing sector.
Why? There are three key reasons.
- First is the economic opportunity at stake. The UK’s interest in exporting food outside of the EU continues to grow1, but is constrained by the ability to maintain freshness during transportation and storage.
- Second, is the issue of food waste and the growing pressure to move towards net zero. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), if food loss and waste were a country, it would be the third biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions2
- And finally, there’s the cost of inaction, with WRAP estimating that food manufacturers waste a staggering £0.85 billion worth of food each year3
So, when it comes to food freshness, what is the best option? The solution may, in fact, lie in combining two established processes, namely using cryogenic freezing and MAP together.
How it works
Cryogenic freezing is increasingly recognised as a cost-effective alternative to traditional, mechanical freezing through reduced waste and faster production times. What’s exciting, however, is the opportunity to combine cryogenic freezing with MAP, so that fresh products can be frozen, transported and thawed on demand, to be sold to consumers in their original fresh state.
Our Freshline® SuperfreshTM process combines cryogenic freezing and MAP packaging in this way, slowing down the accelerated deterioration that occurs directly after thawing.
Critically, it allows frozen-thawed products to offer comparable quality, appearance and shelf life to a fresh product – and in some cases, the shelf-life can be even longer. What’s more, the process ensures that, when thawed correctly in the supply chain, the consumer can still safely refreeze it at home, further reducing food waste.
For food manufacturers, this offers multiple benefits. Fresh food producers can use the process to respond to seasonal or specific production challenges and/or better stock management, delivering cost savings without compromising on food safety or quality.
Meanwhile, frozen food producers looking to move into the fresh products market, can do so with only a few changes to their operational processes. Frozen food can then be thawed and offered in a Freshline® Modified Atmosphere Packaging with a shelf life and quality comparable to that of a chilled product.
And there are food waste reduction benefits across the supply chain, with retailers able to thaw product on demand.
Smart thinking
The UK Government is pledging4 to create a food strategy that drives productivity and innovation, as well as delivering economic growth. Continuing to explore and research opportunities to extend food freshness and shelf life to reduce food waste, without compromising on quality or safety is therefore a key element for success.
Sometimes that means scrutinising the established technologies we have available to us. Combining these existing technologies can unlock exciting opportunities for new innovation, while supporting manufacturers to meet the ever-changing demand for products by the consumer.
The technologies explained
Modified Atmosphere Packaging is a proven method of extending the shelf-life of food products by modifying the atmosphere in its packaging. Depending on its properties, each product has its ideal atmosphere to slow down its degradation. This atmosphere is composed of a combination of gases (usually carbon dioxide, nitrogen and/or oxygen that inhibits the growth of bacteria and prevents certain reactions impacting the product’s sensorial properties such as colour change or oxidative rancidity.
Cryogenic freezing consists of using extremely cold liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide to freeze very quickly different types of products. Scientific studies have proven the faster the freeze the better the product quality. Cryogenic freezing is among the fastest techniques available.
1 www.fdf.org.uk/globalassets/resources/public/general/five-steps-to-success-guide.pdf
2 www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/08/the-scandal-of-food-waste-and-how-we-can-stop-it
3 https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7552/CBP-7552.pdf
4 www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2024/12/11/uk-government-to-develop-new-food-strategy-2025
