Markets for MAP foods

Abstract

Although modified-atmosphere and vacuum-packaged foods are not highly visible in world food marketing and technology, they constitute a substantial and growing proportion of North American and European food supplies – albeit mostly in distribution packaging. Vacuum packaging, MAP and CAP are all regarded by most observers as part of the same technology. In this definition, therefore, the market for MAP food includes fresh and minimally processed foods packaged under vacuum or altered gaseous environment. More than 80% of the beef in the USA and Canada is shipped from meat packers to retailers and hotel/restaurant/ institutional (HRI) (catering) operations in the form of vacuum-packaged primal cuts. Similar proportions are valid for Europe. About half of all fresh poultry in North America is master packed in bulk under modified atmospheres for distribution to retail grocery and HRI outlets. A growing retail category in the USA is precooked poultry packaged under modified atmosphere or vacuum, and marinated and precooked poultry packaged under vacuum. Virtually all cured or processed meat and cured cheese products in retail distribution are packed under either vacuum or inert (i.e. nitrogen) atmosphere. Most cured and cooked meats for in-store delicatessen use are vacuum packaged. Vast quantities of fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables – 15% of all lettuce in the USA and more than 80% of all California strawberries – are distributed under modified atmosphere conditions throughout the Western world. In Europe, dozens of meat packers and thousands of retail stores employ MAP to distribute retail cuts of red meat to retail stores and consumers. In the USA and Canada, about 1000 stores (of a total of 35 000) are displaying centrally packaged cuts of fresh beef, mostly ground beef, but more are using retail cuts of case-ready pork. In Europe, several hundred bakeries employ CAP to extend the distribution cycle for soft bakery products such as breads and cakes. In Canada, several bakeries and sandwich-makers are using this technology commercially. A unique category of sausage and biscuit sandwiches is modified atmosphere packaged in the USA. Throughout the industrialized world, fresh pasta is distributed in MAP form. Large quantities of sous-vide (vacuum packaged and postfill thermally pasteurized) precooked foods are used in restaurant chains in France. More than 500 installations in the USA employ cook-chill processing/packaging technology for pumpable bulk foods such as soups and sauces.