PACK-in-MAP is a web-based (www.packinmap.com) software tool that helps in designing modified
atmosphere packages for fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. The user-friendly online software determines
the needs for packaging of fruits and vegetables in order to maintain the high quality and extend the shelf-life.
The software contains a database on information on product respiration rate, optimum temperature, and
optimum range of O2 and CO2 concentrations as well as permeability of different packaging materials, including
micro-perforated films. The database can be accessed online and even user can configure it to their
product/package requirements. In the PACK-in-MAP software, the user defines the type of product and the
software selects the optimum temperature, O2 and CO2 and caculates respiration rate for that product. The
system then selects the best possible packaging material and/or amount of product required to achieve the
desired gas exchange and simulates the O2 and CO2 atmosphere inside the package. It helps to design and
simulate the package atmosphere without knowledge of mathematical models, and modified atmosphere
packaging itself. It has capability of simulating the package at varying temperature set according to the real-life
distribution chain and also evaluates the impact of product and package variability on internal package
atmosphere. The software has been successfully used to designing MAP of mushrooms, carrots, cheese, mango
and onions and the results have been validated with the experimental data.