Sapli range of equipment includes as standard the best brands for industrial equipment to let our customers focus only in the production process. Modified atmosphere packaging requires equipment specially built for its purpose, so Sapli install proofed brands in the market.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is well established in the food industry and continues to gain in importance. MAP means, simply put, that the natural ambient air in the package is replaced by a gas or gas mixture, often nitrogen and carbon dioxide. This packaging under a protective atmosphere preserves the quality of fresh produce over a longer period of time, prolongs shelf-life, and gives food producers access to a geographically larger market for perishable products.

The standards required by Modified Atmosphere Packaging are comparatively high, and have to be controlled and monitored to ensure safety. Therefore, food manufacturers rely on modern MAP gas technology and various levels of quality assurance for maximum process safety.

Benefits of modified atmospheres:

·        Longer shelf life / higher quality

·        Less waste (less waste of spoiled food)

·        More sales opportunities (reality of global market)

·        Fewer preservatives

·        Appealing package design



Modified Atmosphere Packaging makes comparatively high demands on the packaging process, especially on the vacuum sealing process. Many sources of error can lead to leaks, usually micro-leaks. Right from the point of mixing the gases and introducing them into the package, maximum care is required. A faulty mixture or leaking packaging can have serious effects - from the loss of nutrients, taste, colour or structure to a bad smell or infestation with microorganisms. Depending on the product, health risks to the consumer cannot be completely eliminated.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging therefore requires modern high-quality equipment and uncompromising standards of hygiene. But even when using best available technology, failures can’t be completely avoided. So comprehensive quality assurance activities are essential. These can begin during the packaging process, using inline gas analysis, which constantly monitors the composition of the modified atmosphere. After packaging, the packages must be tested for the correct gas mixture and for leaks. Only with this level of rigour can it be ensured that the full benefit of Modified Atmosphere Packaging is achieved and that the customer receives a top-quality product.

Gas mixers and meterers

In the packaging process the air inside the package is replaced by a gas or a gas mixture. Pre-mixed modified atmospheres are available in different mixtures and under several brand names. WITT on-site gas mixers are used to create these gas mixtures. WITT brand MAP gas mixers provide verified gas quality and safety in the packaging process – for germfree and long shelf-life food, offering at the same time high flexibility to the user. At the push of a button different mixtures can be produced in the shortest time on one packaging line, depending on the requirements of the product.

That’s why Sapli trusts in WITT’s gas mixing and metering systems in its unique high-performance can feeding system for vacuum-gassing and seaming process, VacuuMotion, designed specifically to minimize the vacuumgassing and seaming cycle in order to achieve optimal residual oxygen levels. WITT gas mixing systems are adjusted to the specific product type and processes, and require only basic installation requirements.

Gas analysers

Gas analysers are essential for quality control in the MAP process. The monitoring can be done as continuous analysis during the packaging process or batch sampling after the packaging process. For continuous analysis, a gas analyser module is integrated into the gas mixing system. The gas analyser monitors the correct composition of the gas mixture. Sample testing is part of the quality control system of almost every company working with modified atmospheres. Via a needle, a sample is taken from the package. High quality gas analysers use modern sensors, very precise and rapid and requiring a very low gas volume. They are therefore also suited to packs with very small headspace, and a very low volume of gas inside the package. All data is logged and can be archived for complete QA documentation.