A new report from the United Kingdom indicates that the carbon dioxide supply shortage that has been hampering business operations within the Food and Drink sector in the UK and the rest of rest Europe has also hit the bakery industry. Across the food industry, CO2 is utilized widely in food and drink packaging as a means to enhance storage and increase the shelf life of food products. The principle relies on a modern method of food preservation called Controlled Atmosphere (CA), alongside other well known food preservation methods; like heat treatment (pasteurization), and use of preservatives to extend shelf life.
Termed Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP), the process removes oxygen which is a vital ingredient for aerobic spoilage organisms like moulds, which grow on bread, and replace it with a mixture of CO2 and nitrogen. Carbon dioxide inhibits mould growth and activity, while nitrogen acts as filter gas to replace oxygen and prevent pack collapse.
In some Western countries like UK, MAP is widely used in many bakeries, but the case is different in Nigeria. Except for Yale Foods, there are no other bakeries in Nigeria known to employ the technology in their plant. However, while MAP extends the shelf life of bread and other baked products considerably, its ability to do so is in combination with other known preservation methods, including Good Manufacturing practice (GMP) and standard food hygiene and handling.
https://bakeryinfo.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/19752/CO2_supply_crisis_now_impacting_bakery_industry.html
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