ABSTRACT

Humans probably recognized, in the early ages of agriculture and animal husbandry, that many foods were susceptible to quality loss when stored in air. This probably led to the preservation of foods in approximately 6000 b.c. by initially excluding air in pits and later, with the invention of pottery and baskets, in large vessels and containers. Grains, semidry products, some fermented products, concentrated syrups and molasses, and similar products are still stored in large, closed, airtight vessels in many parts of the world to prevent insect infestation and the growth of molds and yeasts. However, this method of changing the gaseous environment to preserve more perishable products, such as fresh meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, and other processed products, originated in the early 20th century. During the 1920s and 1930s, studies revealed that by using CO2 in higher concentrations (4%–100%), the growth of molds on fresh meats could be greatly reduced, and ripening of fruits and vegetables could be prolonged. In the 1960s, refrigerated beef carcasses were transported by ship from New Zealand and Australia to other countries in controlled CO2-rich environments.