5. Microflora management
One technology that has ship-shaped meat microbial shelf life in the
past few decades is most certainly modified atmosphere packaging.
Without any additives or other interventions, but simply by changing
composition of the gaseous environment around the meat, we have
been able to modulate its microflora in order for less spoiling lactic
acid bacteria to prevail over psychrotrophic Pseudomonas, provided
that the cold chain is maintained throughout storage and transport
(Saucier, 1999). So, this fine-tuning of microbial ecology has led us to
keep the microorganisms that we want, at the level that we want, and
with the timing thatwewant. Rather than having a “bazooka” approach,
where everything is wiped out, a more targeted “sniper” one eliminating
the bad and leaving the good microbes to thrive has proved to be