Modified Atmosphere Packaging Simulator

Initial Atmosphere

Package Parameters

Film barrier level Medium

Storage temperature 5 °C

Produce loading 120 g/L

Simulation speed ×1

Headspace Atmosphere

O₂ 20.9%CO₂ 0.1%N₂ 79.0%

Elapsed time

0.0 h

Respiration rate

— mL/kg·h

Product Quality

Quality index

100%

Status

Fresh

How it works

Two coupled first-order processes set the headspace gas composition inside a sealed Modified Atmosphere Package: the produce's own respiration, and diffusion of gas through the plastic film.

Respiration (Michaelis–Menten in O2, Q10 in temperature):
  R_O2 = Vmax(T) · [O2] / (Km + [O2])
  Vmax(T) = Vmax_ref · Q10^((T − Tref) / 10)
  R_CO2 = RQ · R_O2   (RQ rises toward ~1.4 as O2 → 0, anaerobic shift)

Film permeation (Fick's law, driven by the gradient
across the film, scaled by barrier level):
  J_O2  = P_O2  · (20.9% − [O2])
  J_CO2 = P_CO2 · ([CO2] − 0.04%)

d[O2]/dt  = −R_O2 · load/V_ref + J_O2
d[CO2]/dt = +R_CO2 · load/V_ref − J_CO2
[N2] = 100% − [O2] − [CO2]

Film barrier — low barrier (LDPE-like) lets O2/CO2 equilibrate with outside air quickly; high barrier (EVOH/foil-like) traps the atmosphere the respiration creates.
Temperature — every +10 °C multiplies respiration (and O2 depletion) by Q10 ≈ 2.5, the same reason refrigeration extends shelf life.
Produce loading — more product per litre of headspace consumes O2 and produces CO2 faster.
Quality index — decays fastest when O2 sits in the optimal 2–8% "MA" band (slowest senescence); it collapses if O2 drops near 0% (anaerobic fermentation, off-flavours) or CO2 climbs past ~15% (tissue injury).

This is the same balance real packers tune with gas-flushing (N2/CO2 blends) and film selection (OTR/CTR — oxygen/CO2 transmission rate) to hit a target shelf life for fresh-cut produce, meat and bakery goods.

O₂ molecule CO₂ molecule N₂ molecule

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