The Important Relation between Meat Preservation and MAP Gas Analysis
When it comes to raw meat, consumers intuitively know that red is better than brown, and according to Myra Armson, a Higher Scientific Officer at the International Food Information Service, their intuition is backed up by science.
In her article “Gas mixtures help preserve the quality of packaged meats” published in Scientist Live, Armson discusses the importance of Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for meat preservation writing,
“When raw meat is exposed to air, it deteriorates rapidly, even when properly chilled. In red meats, the bright red color associated with freshness fades to grey-brown as oxymyoglobin is converted to metmyoglobin. Lipid oxidation may also occur, affecting both aroma and flavor acceptability.”
After briefly explaining the scientific background behind meat preservation and decay, Armson makes her main point, which all purveyors of meat should take to heart, when she says,
“The willingness of consumers to purchase meat is greatly reduced by these changes, and so, to ensure commercial success, manufacturers must try to postpone them. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is one way of doing this.”
At Bridge Analyzers our line of MAP Gas Analyzers are used by meat packagers and manufacturers all over the world to ensure that the gas levels in their packaging are consistently accurate, allowing them to preserve their meat products and please their customers.
The attributes that make meat products desirable to your customers, such as: color, aroma, texture, juiciness, flavor, and tenderness, affect how we think about the design and manufacture of our gas analyzers. The connection between our MAP gas analyzers, you, and your end users enjoying a perfectly preserved cut of meat is clear to us and drives what we do every day.