Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Cooked Cured and Processed Poultry and Game Bird Products

Extending the shelf-life of processed poultry and game bird products

MAP modified atmosphere packaging for cooked, cured and processed fish and seafood products, include: Capon galantine, chicken ballotine, chicken roll, cured game birds, cured poultry, duck ballotine, duck pâté duck galantine, pheasant galantine, pigeon galantine, smoked chicken, smoked duck, smoked poussin, smoked turkey, turkey bacon, turkey ballotine, turkey galantine and turkey roll, etc.

The main reason that causes spoilage of cooked, cured, and processed poultry and game bird products is microbial growth. For cooked products, the heating process should kill vegetative bacterial cells and inactivate degradative enzymes. So the spoilage of cooked poultry and game bird products is mainly due to post-cooking contamination by micro-organisms which can be minimized by MAP modified atmosphere packaging with CO2/N2 mixtures and good hygiene and handling practices. A gas/product ratio of 2:1 is recommended. Cured and processed poultry and game bird products contain relatively high levels of salt and/or other preservatives which effectively inhibit a wide range of spoilage microorganisms.

Possible food poisoning hazards are mainly caused by post-cooking, curing, or processing contamination can be minimized by the maintenance of recommended chilled temperatures and good hygiene and handling practices. The reduced aw and/or addition of salt and/or other preservatives in most cooked, cured and processed poultry and game bird products inhibit most food poisoning bacteria.

General Information for Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Processed Poultry and Game Bird Products