Pizza and focaccia in modified atmosphere packaging: a practical guide
Practical guide · Modified atmosphere packaging
Sunday, a quarter to midnight. The oven is cooling down, the dining room is empty, and on the counter there are fourteen baked pizza bases nobody will order. Tomorrow they will end up in the bin. Every pizza maker knows this scene, and knows what it costs.
Now imagine a different ending. The same bases, packed in a few minutes, are on Tuesday in the fridge of the café across the street, with a label and two weeks of life ahead of them. It is not a trick: it is modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), the same technique used by the food industry, now within reach of a pizzeria or a bakery. In this guide we look at how it works, how long the product lasts, which gases to use and which mistakes to avoid.
Vacuum or modified atmosphere? You can see the difference
Vacuum packaging removes the air from the bag and seals it: perfect for meat, cured meats and cheese. But a soft product like focaccia or a pizza base gets compressed, loses volume and reaches the customer ruined.
Modified atmosphere (MAP) goes one step further: after removing the air, the machine injects a mix of food-grade gases and only then seals. The bag stays full, the product keeps its shape and the gases slow down mould and oxidation.
“Vacuum removes the air. Modified atmosphere replaces it.”
- CO₂ (carbon dioxide): slows down mould and bacteria. It is the gas that really extends shelf life.
- N₂ (nitrogen): neutral filler gas. It keeps the bag full and stops the product from collapsing.
- O₂ (oxygen): not used for pizza and baked goods.
How long it really lasts
Indicative values at 0–3 °C, from the EV40 TOP user manual:
| Product | Vacuum | MAP |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza / focaccia | 7–10 days | 15–20 days |
| Fresh pasta | 15 days | 20–30 days |
| Aged cheese | 4 months | 30–60 days |
| Cured meats | 3 months | 60–90 days |
Real shelf life depends on recipe, moisture, hygiene, cold chain and the gas mix used. Before printing a use-by date on the label, verify it with storage tests and include it in your HACCP plan.
The gas recipe
| Product | CO₂ | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza, focaccia, pinsa | 30% | 70% |
| Bread | 100% | – |
| Cured meats | 20% | 80% |
Gas mixes are sold ready-made in cylinders by food-gas suppliers. The cylinder is connected to the machine with a pressure regulator set to 1 bar. Always use gas certified for food use.
From oven to bag: six steps
- Bake or par-bake the base, focaccia or pinsa as usual.
- Cool it down well, ideally in a blast chiller: a warm product creates condensation in the bag, and condensation brings mould.
- Bag it in smooth 90–100 micron bags, filled to no more than 2/3.
- Lay the bag opening on the sealing bar, with 2–3 cm of edge and no folds.
- Choose the MAP program and close the lid: the machine removes the air, injects the gas and seals by itself.
- Label with packing date and use-by date, and straight into the fridge at 0–3 °C.
Real test
No renderings: this is an EV40 TOP at work. The tomato base goes into the bag, the lid closes, and during the cycle the bag fills with gas: modified atmosphere you can see with your own eyes.
1. The base in the bag · 2. The bag fills with gas · 3. The finished product.
Costly mistakes
- Bagging the product while warm: condensation, and mould within a few days.
- Using embossed bags (the “ribbed” ones for external-suction machines): they don't work well in chamber machines.
- Overfilling the bag: the seal comes out badly and the gas cannot circulate.
- Too much CO₂ on soft products: CO₂ dissolves into the product and the bag can “pull”. For pizza and focaccia stay at 30%.
- Breaking the cold chain: the times only apply at 0–3 °C.
The new counter: who buys packaged pizza
With packaged pizza the kitchen stops selling only to the people sitting at the table. New channels open up:
- Your own fridge counter: bases and focaccia to take home.
- Cafés, delis and local shops, up to local supermarkets.
- Delivery: the product arrives intact, not crushed.
- Less waste: what is left over in the evening gets packed instead of thrown away.
- Organised production: mix and bake on quiet days, sell on busy ones.
How much does a modified atmosphere packaging machine cost
The price depends on three things: the chamber size (it must fit your bases), the pump power (the more powerful, the faster the cycles) and the gas kit for injecting the mix. A pizzeria needs a tabletop chamber machine with a chamber of at least 40 cm. The price of the Eliani EV40 TOP is reserved and depends on the configuration: modified atmosphere kit, chamber, label printer. Message us on WhatsApp with what you produce and how many packs you need: we'll prepare a tailor-made offer the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do modified atmosphere with a normal vacuum sealer?
Do I need a blast chiller?
Where do I get the gas?
Can I sell MAP pizza outside the fridge?
Can topped pizza be packed?
Next Sunday, those bases won't end up in the bin.
Tell us what you produce: we'll tell you which machine and which gas mix to use.
Message us on WhatsApp