South Bay is very proud to introduce our newest methodology to insure our customers receive the best quality and safest seafood products. With our fresh seafood supply being truly global we feel our most important challenge is the logistics of bringing products from South & Central America and South Africa through the distribution chain and finally to the end-user. In an age with food safety concerns first on everyone’s list we saw the need to upgrade our packaging and handling of our products. We enlisted the help of a research & development company that specializes in the food industry. Our objective was to develop a natural procedure to increase the shelf life and develop a package that would give the end-user the confidence that their product was the freshest and safest available. We wanted to preserve the original quality of our products without altering the appearance as the cold smoked or carbon monoxide process does. The result is a handling and packaging procedure that incorporates several "bacteria hurdles" that extend the shelf life and enhance the quality of our products as they make the journey from the hook to plate.

It all begins at the source, our plants receiving QC procedures insure that the product temperatures, freshness, and organoleptic qualities meet our high standards. With close relationships with the vessels that harvest our products we have been able to institute boat handling procedures such as "chill kill" techniques, monitoring and maintaining proper temperatures that bring the best products to the docks. Our in house labs sample and test each off load, providing the documentation and accountability required by our HACCP plan.

Product is then flown on the first available flight to either our Long Island or Miami facility where it undergoes another rigorous QC exam.

Product is then dipped in our all natural solution that cleanses any bacteria that has formed during the shipping from our suppliers.

The product is now ready to be placed in a poly bag, all air is removed and replaced with a combination of food quality gases that will inhibit the growth of bacteria.

The "modified atmosphere" package is placed in a Styrofoam cooler, iced and outfitted with a "TTI". This time temperature indicator will provide assurances that the product temperature and the number of days will have remained within guidelines.

When the product is removed from the MAP container the product should be rinsed in a "chill bath" for a few seconds. Due to the nature of all types of tuna a chill is not recommended.

The result of this process is product that can be easily handled by the distributors and arrive to the end-user with the assurance that it is fresh and safe.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging ( MAP ) has the ability to extend the shelf life of foods, and has brought about major changes in the storage and distribution of raw materials, and in the marketing of food products. New developments in MAP packaging materials, machinery and related sensor technology mean that the new generation of MAP systems offers further improvements in food shelf life, organoleptic quality, product range and safety.

The ability of modified atmosphere packaging ( MAP ) to extend the shelf life of foods has been recognized for many years. Indeed, over 100 years ago a patent was granted covering the use of a CO2/CO mixture to extend the shelf life of meat. However, it was not until 1930 that the first reports on using MAP to extend the shelf life of fish appeared.

The first major commercial application of MAP took place in 1974, when the French company SCOPA started selling MAP meat, and it was not until 1979 that the first MAP fish product was sold. Since then there has been a marked expansion in the use and market share of MAP, partly as a result of the increasing consumer demand for fresh and chilled convenience foods. Today, MAP foods include raw and cooked meats, poultry, fresh pasta, fruit, crisps, coffee, tea, vegetables, cheese, bread, fish and crustaceans. For many products MAP has become the dominant packaging form.

SOUTH BAY is using a combination of three gases during its active modification. They are, Nitrogen, Oxygen and Carbon dioxide. The proportion of each component is adjusted for different species of fish. We have researched food composition, gas to product ratios, product temperatures and packaging materials. The combination of these three gases in a MAPS package retards the natural process of oxidation that affect the product quality. MAP maintains freshness and has no effect on the taste or aroma of the product. Scientific laboratory testing has enabled SOUTH BAY to produce a maps program that falls under the FDA'S guidelines of G. R. A. S. (Generally recognized As Safe)

SOUTH BAY gas formulas were developed for our process and are unique to us. The benefits of this process are, shelf life extension, retains flavor and color, allows for increased inventory, and enlarges your market reach. Using a HACCP approach, our in house laboratory monitors product temperature throughout processing as well as the correct mixture of gases during each production run. All of our gases are certified food grade.

Studies on the effects of modified atmosphere packaging have spanned fifty years. It is the major form of packaging overseas, United States food product producers have adopted MAPS over the past twenty years. The seafood industry has recently realized the benefits MAPS offers.

FDA requires all MAP packaging to contain O2 and time temperature integrator (TTI) to eliminate toxin hazards. Each package will also have a label on the outside of the case with customer instructions on how to handle the product upon delivery.

TTI Customer instructions:

Consumer - Please open box prior to signing for product

Inside the case will be -


MAP or "Modified Atmosphere Packaging" is a technology that uses specific gas mixtures to inhibit growth of bacteria and extend shelf life.

What kind of gas do you use with MAP?

1. Carbon Dioxide - Carbon dioxide is a prerequisite for retained quality. The presence of CO2 is necessary to inhibit the growth of common aerobic bacteria. At levels above 20% in sufficiently large package volumes, growth is primarily inhibited in fish because carbon dioxide lowers the pH level of the tissue surface. Depending on the storage temperature (32° - 36° F.), modified atmosphere packaging prolongs the shelf life by an extra 3 to 5 days compared with the shelf life of raw fish in a tray with film over wrap.

2. Oxygen - Oxygen preserves color. Oxygen can be used as a component of a modified atmosphere to avoid color changes and pigment fading in fish and seafood. The gas is also used to prevent growth of anaerobic microorganisms such as Clostridium which can produce toxins. The risk, however, for Clostridium growth in correctly modified atmosphere packaged fish with short shelf life is negligible. If the temperature is kept below 38° F., there can be no growth.

3. Nitrogen - Nitrogen is a neutral gas used only to occupy space in the package. Because of its low solubility, it is used as a filler gas to prevent package collapse which may occur when product is packed in a high CO2 containing atmosphere.

What combination of Gas mixture do you use?

1. Fatty Fish - typically combinations of carbon dioxide and nitrogen range from 60 - 70% carbon dioxide and 30 - 40% nitrogen. The gas volume to weight of product ranges from 200 - 300 ml gas to 100 g fish.

2. Lean Fish - with lean fish species, the combination of gas mixture is typically 70% carbon dioxide, 25% nitrogen and 5% oxygen. Once again the gas volume to weight of product ranges from 200 - 300 ml gas to 100 g fish.

How critical is the storage & distribution temperature of fish & seafood?

In order to maintain the high quality of fresh fish products, it is crucial to maintain temperatures as close to 32° F. as possible. In combination with the right gas mixture, shelf life can be extended by a few valuable extra days. One condition, naturally, is an unbroken chain of refrigeration. Cod, flounder, plaice, haddock and whiting are examples of fish that can be stored at 32° F. for twice as long in a modified atmosphere as in air.

Our highly skilled production team assures superb workmanship and product

Each order is individually processed and packed to specification

Product is MAP with a unique combination of gases designed from extensive research

Product is weighed and labels are made

Product is placed in a Styrofoam cooler and a TTI is placed on the product

Product is iced and Styrofoam cooler labeled

Custom specifications are our expertise. Utilize our resources to design the PERFECT Seafood Program

South Bay understands the value that education and sales support brings to this program. We will provide you with POS materials, sales meetings and end-user calls.

Your Direct Source for Fresh and Frozen Seafood