Many factors are relevant in making the proper choice of food packaging material, including those related to shelf life and biodegradability. To meet these demands, new processing and preservation techniques have arisen, most notably modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and active packaging (AP). Modified Atmosphere and Active Packaging Technologies presents an overview of the current status of MAP and AP, exploring techniques, methodologies, applications, and relevant legislation. For clarity and easy reference, the book is divided into seven convenient sections: Principles, Materials, Gases, and Machinery for MAP provides a basic overview of the topic and defines modified atmosphere, controlled atmosphere, and active packaging. Safety and Quality Control of MAP Products examines the effect of MAP on various foods and discusses governmental control mechanisms to ensure food safety. Applications of MAP in Foods of Animal Origin explores how MAP can be used in fish, meat, poultry and dairy products. Applications of MAP in Foods of Plant Origin discusses MAP for cereals, minimally processed vegetables, fruits, and bakery products. Other Applications of MAP reviews MAP's use in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and coffee, tea, beer, and snack foods. Active Packaging and its New Trends examines issues related to nanotechnology and bioactive packaging. Consumer Behavior/Sensory Analysis and Legislation covers legislation in the European Union, the United States, and Canada and presents conclusions and new issues on the horizon. From the very basics (films, gases, techniques, and applications) up to the latest advances (nanotechnology and bioactive compounds), this book covers nearly all issues related to MAP and AP, providing an essential reference for food scientists and engineers, agriculturalists, chemists, and all those on the cutting edge of food packaging.

Many factors are relevant in making the proper choice of food packaging material, including those related to shelf life and biodegradability. To meet these demands, new processing and preservation techniques have arisen, most notably modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and active packaging (AP). Modified Atmosphere and Active Packaging Technologies presents an overview of the current status of MAP and AP, exploring techniques, methodologies, applications, and relevant legislation.

For clarity and easy reference, the book is divided into seven convenient sections:

• Principles, Materials, Gases, and Machinery for MAP provides a basic overview of the topic and defines modified atmosphere, controlled atmosphere, and active packaging.
• Safety and Quality Control of MAP Products examines the effect of MAP on various foods and discusses governmental control mechanisms to ensure food safety.
• Applications of MAP in Foods of Animal Origin explores how MAP can be used in fish, meat, poultry and dairy products.
• Applications of MAP in Foods of Plant Origin discusses MAP for cereals, minimally processed vegetables, fruits, and bakery products.
• Other Applications of MAP reviews MAP s use in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and coffee, tea, beer, and snack foods.
• Active Packaging and its New Trends examines issues related to nanotechnology and bioactive packaging.
• Consumer Behavior/Sensory Analysis and Legislation covers legislation in the European Union, the United States, and Canada and presents conclusions and new issues on the horizon.

From the very basics (films, gases, techniques, and applications) up to the latest advances (nanotechnology and bioactive compounds), this book covers nearly all issues related to MAP and AP, providing an essential reference for food scientists and engineers, agriculturalists, chemists, and all those on the cutting edge of food packaging.

This Brief critically reviews the applied techniques in all the studied vegetables and summarizes the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in all the quality parameters. In a brief introduction chemical and microbiological parameters that affect shelf life are mentioned, followed by a definition of modified atmosphere packaging. The referred vegetables are categorized into 10 categories: roots, tubers, leafy vegetables, fruits-vegetables, bulbs, stems and shoots, flowers, seeds, fungi and other. The effect of selected MAP applications on the shelf life of the vegetables is also highlighted. Along with atmosphere modification, several storage parameters such as temperature, several pretreatments, film permeability or light and dark storage conditions are studied and their interaction on the quality of the product is also taken under consideration. The increasing demand for healthier and "safer" foods has led the food industry in pursuit of storage technologies that will serve the primary role of storage life prolongation but with no sacrifice on nutritional value and without the presence of additives. MAP is a storage technique that has already proven to be effective in extending the shelf life of the product by reducing respiration rate and preserving all its quality characteristics. Due to many physiological factors that affect the shelf life of minimally processed vegetables (respiration rate, ethylene production, maturation and ripening) the selection of the ideal storage parameters (gas mixture, storage temperature, packaging film, and treatments prior to packaging) of MAP is a challenging procedure and must be planned carefully.