Dry foodstuffs such as cocoa products, crisps, peanuts, coffee and spices, powdered milk and instant mashed potato contain unsaturated fats. These products are therefore sensitive to oxidation and rancidity.
Carbon Dioxide Slows Mold Growth
The main spoilage factors for bakery products are mold growth and chemical breakdown. Fermentation may also cause problems in pastries or breads with fillings. Since the water activity of bakery products is low, the growth of microorganisms other than mold is not typically a problem.
Mold is an aerobic microorganism which can be effectively controlled by packaging the produce in a modified atmosphere of CO2 and ensuring low levels of residual oxygen (less than 1%). This extends shelf life by several days. MAPAX is especially suitable for rye bread, sweet bakery products, pies and pre-baked bread.
Bakery Products
In the case of Danish pastries and other iced bakery products, excessive levels of CO2 can adversely affect the appearance of the icing by dissolving into the fat and causing the icing to 'melt away'. If the CO2 concentration is balanced with nitrogen, the product's appearance remains unchanged. Combined with a barrier material, MAPAX gives even more effective protection against loss or adsorption of moisture.
Sensitive Dry Foods
Packages containing particularly sensitive dry foodstuffs such as powdered milk for babies should have oxygen levels of less than 0.2%. Oxidation can be effectively inhibited by replacing oxygen in the package with nitrogen (N2) or carbon dioxide (CO2), or a mixture of these gases.