ABSTRACT
Modified atmospheres may be established by gas flushing at the time of packaging, or by allowing air-packed products, mainly fruits and vegetables, to generate a modified atmosphere as a result of natural respiration. Modified atmosphere packaging and sous vide technology extend product shelf life beyond that of truly fresh foods, while usually avoiding the use of chemical preservatives. These technologies have seen incredible growth over the last two decades, both in North America and Europe, and have not yet reached their full potential. The use of modified atmospheres to extend the shelf life of foods has a considerable history. The commonality in sous vide products is that foods, either raw or precooked, are packaged under vacuum in hermetically sealed bags, then cooked or heated, and finally cooled and refrigerated. The traditional approach of empirically assessing the safety of a food product is almost impossible to apply to the wide variety of products being developed.
