Extension of shelf-life
Depending on product, shelf-life can be usefully extended by between 50% and 500% using MAP techniques. This means that waste is minimised and re-stocking and ordering can become more flexible.
As an example, a store turning over 100% of its shoppers every 10 days will be able to offer a non-MAP food item with a shelf-life of three days to just 30% of its customers. But the same food item packaged with a suitable Modified Atmosphere to give it a 10-day shelf-life will be available for purchase by ALL the store’s shoppers.
Minimisation of waste
If there is a greater chance that a product will be sold, there is obviously less chance of it being thrown away. Even with today’s sophisticated management systems it is still not possible to accurately predict a supermarket's daily throughput. So having a greater shelf-life available enables a store to order more efficiently and to reduce wastage.
Quality
There are obvious quality advantages for both retailer and consumer in having food that deteriorates at a much slower rate on its journey from production area to store, and then onward to the domestic kitchen, refrigerator or freezer.
Presentation is another vital quality aspect. Because MAP products cannot just be wrapped in cling film (they have to be encased, usually in a tray which lends itself to an element of design on its surface) retailers have taken the opportunity to package their food stuffs more attractively. The visual appeal of food is another key quality area and here the industry’s experience with red meat makes an interesting case study. After slaughter and ageing, red meat quickly becomes a dullish, brown colour which is unattractive to customers. Fresh, red colour is maintained longer using a mixture of between 70% and 80% oxygen, (depending on the meat), and carbon dioxide for the balance. Its remarkable effect on red meat is undeniable. In the early days it was the introduction of this technique by Marks & Spencer to its range of red meats that kick-started the use of MAP in the UK. Today, with red meat coming under scrutiny by some consumers actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle, the role of MAP is central to its survival on store butchery shelves.
Reduced need for artificial preservatives
In a world which is becoming increasingly “green” in its outlook, a world where every consumer is a watchdog for the environment, there are points to be earned by the retailer who can get rid of as many additives as possible and show that its food is basically fresh and natural. In some cases, MAP means that artificial preservatives are no longer required to achieve a reasonable shelf-life.
Increased distribution possibilities
Because of the extended product shelf-life, increased distribution is one of those areas in which the introduction of MAP is more than just “another benefit”. For companies with the right product, the potential to increase the range of delivery can produce exciting changes and opens the door to a global market.