MAP: Solutions to increase the storage time of agricultural products

Lac Trung Technology and Commercial Services Co., Ltd.’s packaging products, in addition to self-destruction features, also have variable atmospheric packaging (MAP) properties. This feature is intended to meet the need to preserve fresh vegetables and fruits longer, which can increase up to 25-30% of storage time compared to ordinary bio-decomposition bags.   

In Vietnam, losses after harvesting agricultural products account for about 25% for fruits and more than 30% for vegetables, 15-20% for other foods. With this loss rate, each year we lose about VND 6,318 billion. Meanwhile, the use of MAP products not only reduces the rate of damage of products after harvesting, improves the value of goods, reduces environmental pollution, but also has an important contribution in the chain of transportation, distribution, supply of vegetables and fruits for internal consumption and export.

Starting from that fact, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has assigned Lac Trung Technology and Commercial Services Co., Ltd. – an enterprise operating in the field of production, trading and application of new materials products to the areas of life – to preside over the implementation of the project “Improving the production line and improving the quality of modified atmospheric packaging for service preservation of agricultural products and food”. The advantage of technology is the use of available raw materials in the country, cheap; proactive technology and equipment; products with competitive price compared to imported products with quality targets, etc.

This is also the first time in Vietnam has built a complete technology and equipment line, synchronizing the production of MAP capacity of 400 tons / year on the basis of PE film containing silica additives, zeolite and perforated PE film to preserve vegetables and fruits after harvesting. The project’s products meet the national technical regulations on food safety and hygiene QCVN12-1:2011/BYT. MAP film produced by the project has been registered as Green MAP and has the same quality as MAP CE44 membrane of the Korea Institute of Food Technology.

At the same time, the process of preservation of 10 vegetables and fruits by MAP packaging has been completed, with a storage period of more than 2-3 times longer than natural storage; loss after storage <10%, vegetables after storage still meet food hygiene and safety standards. These processes are transferred to enterprises to deploy and replicate. Build 5 post-harvest preservation models of vegetables and fruits with MAP packaging scale 500 – 5,000 kg with economic and technical efficiency, easy to apply.

In addition, thanks to actively participating in product introduction at technology equipment fairs and high-tech agricultural exhibition support, the project has commercialized about 50 tons of products for more than 10 enterprises, contributing to improving the commercial value of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable products. Green MAP brand for modified atmospheric packaging film preserves vegetables and fruits has been granted barcode code by the General Department of Standards and Quality, and granted a unique solution for “The process of preservation of fabrics with modified atmospheric packaging film”.

In order to improve the quality and diversification of products, at the same time develop new products in the direction of modernity, reaching advanced levels in the world, the technology of the project will continue to be perfected, in order to provide the market with smart, environmentally friendly packaging products; contribute to the modernization of the plasticity, packaging in Vietnam.

Basically, the project has achieved and exceeded the targets set out in all contents: Technology completion, experimental production, application to production, business … This is the first new technology to be systematically researched and implemented in Vietnam, with high scientific content, approaching the technology level in the world.

Productivity and Quality Office