The function and advantages of modified atmosphere packaging for chilled fresh meat

Nutritionists believe that there is an active substance of ATP in the body of pigs after slaughtering. If they are eaten immediately, their nutritional value is not as good as being eaten after cooling. For example, after slaughtering, they will be cooled at 0-4°C for 24 hours, which will inactivate ATP and achieve acid excretion. During the process, the texture of pork becomes soft and fragrant, with good taste, and it is beneficial to the human body to absorb. This kind of meat is called "cooling meat".
The packaging of chilled meat has several forms, such as vacuum packaging, nitrogen-filled packaging and modified atmosphere fresh-keeping packaging. Because the color of cold meat after vacuum packaging and nitrogen-filled packaging becomes darker and loses the original fresh color of fresh meat, in order to solve the problems of short shelf life and discoloration of cold meat at the same time, European and American countries currently use a kind of cold meat to make cold meat. A method that is safer and has a shelf life three to five times longer than general packaging (2-3 days), the Modified Atmosphere Packaging Method (MAP). It is introduced as follows:

1. Basic principles

(1) Use high-barrier EVOH barrier material to isolate the cooled meat from the outside air;

(2) Filling with oxygen and carbon dioxide mixture makes the flesh bright and inhibits the growth of bacteria.

2. Function

The color of meat depends on three states of myoglobin on the muscle surface:

(1) Hypoxia during vacuum and nitrogen-filled packaging, myoglobin packaging becomes reduced myoglobin, and the meat is lavender;

(2) When meat is exposed to the air for a long time, myoglobin is converted into methomyoglobin, and the muscle is dark brown;

(3) When a certain amount of oxygen is maintained in the package, the myoglobin is converted into oxymyoglobin, and the muscle presents the bright red color of fresh meat.

The composition of the filled mixed gas is: the ratio of O2+CO2 is 80% and 20%;

The role of oxygen is to give the meat the bright red color that consumers prefer. The color of meat is important for the psychological impact of consumers. We know that the degree of myoglobin and oxygen binding in fresh meat determines the color of fresh meat. The closed container is filled with 80% oxygen, so that the meat can maintain a bright color without being too rich in oxygen and discoloring. The effect of 20% carbon dioxide is to inhibit a small amount of residual bacteria during slaughter and prolong the shelf life.
The packaging of chilled meat has several forms, such as vacuum packaging, nitrogen-filled packaging and modified atmosphere fresh-keeping packaging. Because the color of cold meat after vacuum packaging and nitrogen-filled packaging becomes darker and loses the original fresh color of fresh meat, in order to solve the problems of short shelf life and discoloration of cold meat at the same time, European and American countries currently use a kind of cold meat to make cold meat. A method that is safer and has a shelf life three to five times longer than general packaging (2-3 days), the Modified Atmosphere Packaging Method (MAP). It is introduced as follows:

1. Basic principles

(1) Use high-barrier EVOH barrier material to isolate the cooled meat from the outside air;

(2) Filling with oxygen and carbon dioxide mixture makes the flesh bright and inhibits the growth of bacteria.

2. Function

The color of meat depends on three states of myoglobin on the muscle surface:

(1) Hypoxia during vacuum and nitrogen-filled packaging, myoglobin packaging becomes reduced myoglobin, and the meat is lavender;

(2) When meat is exposed to the air for a long time, myoglobin is converted into methomyoglobin, and the muscle is dark brown;

(3) When a certain amount of oxygen is maintained in the package, the myoglobin is converted into oxymyoglobin, and the muscle presents the bright red color of fresh meat.

The composition of the filled mixed gas is: the ratio of O2+CO2 is 80% and 20%;

The role of oxygen is to give the meat the bright red color that consumers prefer. The color of meat is important for the psychological impact of consumers. We know that the degree of myoglobin and oxygen binding in fresh meat determines the color of fresh meat. The closed container is filled with 80% oxygen, so that the meat can maintain a bright color without being too rich in oxygen and discoloring. The effect of 20% carbon dioxide is to inhibit a small amount of residual bacteria during slaughter and prolong the shelf life.

(5) Brand effect

As consumers pay more and more attention to the safety of meat products, consumers are also increasingly trusting the safety guarantees held by large companies. Therefore, setting up special modified atmosphere packaging shelves marked with corporate brands in supermarkets can also play a role in establishing corporate image and reflecting corporate brand value.

(6) Reduce the number of shipments and save transportation costs

Due to the extended shelf life, the original daily necessary delivery can be reduced to once every 2-3 days, reducing the delivery cost.

To sum up, the production of chilled fresh meat by enterprises has broad prospects for development, and the use of composite modified atmosphere fresh-keeping packaging is also an inevitable trend; then, whoever masters the advanced technology first will gain an advantage in future struggles. dominate the market.