Dear Chong
The practice in Britain for MAP packs is to use btween 40% and 60% CO2, most
often 40%. The remainder can be nitrogen or nitrogen and oxygen. The ratio
of gas to fish needs to be around 2-3:1, that is, for a 250g pack, the
volume of the tray should be at least 750 ml. This high ratio is required to
provide sufficient inert gas to avoid pack collapse as the CO2 dissolves in
the fish, and to provide sufficient CO2 to exert an effect. Extension of
shelf life of around 50% compared to air packs is achieved with storage at
0ºC; and extension is lost above about 4ºC. In commercial practice, as
distinct from laboratory studies, this requirement of storage at 0ºC is not
achievable, and MAP provides no useful extension of storage life. Comparison
of times to toxin formation in MAP and in air packs using C.
botulin-inoculated packs show no appreciable difference in times.
Following is a limited bibliography of reviews. Those by Davis and Gibson &
Davis describe practices and experience in Britain.
Peter Howgate
(P.S. I shall be away from home for a week from tomorrow, Thursday, so can't
come back to your with further comment if needed for a few days)
-----------------------------
Davies, A.R. (1997). Modified-atmosphere packaging of fish and fish
products. In: Fish Processing Technology. 2nd edn, Blackie Academical &
Professional, London. pp 200-223. ISBN 0 7514 0273 7
Davis, H.K. (1993). Modified atmosphere packaging of fish. In: Principles
and Applications of Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Foods, R. T. Parry, ed,
Blackie Academic and Professional, London, pp 189-228.
Farber, J.M. (1991). Microbiological Aspects of Modified-Atmosphere
Packaging Technology - A Review. Journal of Food Protection, 9, 58-70
Gibson, D.M. & Davis, H.K. (1995). Fish and shellfish products in sous vide
and modified atmosphere packs. In: Principles of modified-atmosphere and
sous vide product packaging, J.M. Farber & K.L. Dodds (eds) Technomic
Publishing Co. Inc., Lancaster, PA, USA. pp 153-174.
Hanlin, J.H., Evancho, G.M. & Slade, P.J. (1995). Microbiological concerns
associated with MAP and sous vide products. In: Principles of
modified-atmosphere and sous vide product packaging, J.M. Farber & K.L.
Dodds (eds) Technomic Publishing Co. Inc., Lancaster, PA, USA. pp 69-104
Skura, B.J. (1991). Modified atmosphere packaging of fish and fish products.
In: Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Food, B. Ooraikul & M.E. Stiles, eds,
Ellis Horwood, New York, pp 148-168. ISBN 0-7476-0064-3
Stammen, K., Gerdes, D. & Caporaso, F. (1990). Modified atmosphere packaging
of seafood. CRC Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 29, 301-331.
----- Original Message -----
From: chong lee <uricml@uriacc.uri.edu>
To: <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
Cc: <phowgate@rsc.co.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 7:52 PM
Subject: MAP for fish
>
> I wonder if anyone could provide the information on the current status of
> MAP on shelf-life extension of fresh fish, primarily processed - e.g.
> fillet. There have been some reports in the past, but I found the gas
> composition somewhat varies with species and reports. There seems to be
no
> general agreement on what the makeup of the gas should be. Any
> information would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Chong Lee
>
> Chong M. Lee, Professor
> Dept. of Food Science & Nutrition
> University of Rhode Island
> Kingston, RI 02881
> Tel. 401-874-2862; Fax. 401-874-2994
>
>
>
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