The preservation or extension of the life of oxygen perishable products such as fresh or cooked meats; fresh vegetables and fruits; dried vegetables, fruits and meats; packaged pharmaceuticals or biologicals; open and enclosed marketing display cases of meats, fruits and vegetables; and packaging, warehousing and transportation of meats, fruits, and vegetables is obtained by subjecting such products to an atmosphere obtained from gas permeable packets of an oxygen scavenging composition comprising a sodium carbonate mineral and one or more carboxylic acids. When the environment surrounding the oxygen perishable product is subjected to the packets of gaseous permeable oxygen scavenging compositions, oxygen is taken in by the scavenging composition and also the presence of carbon dioxide in the surrounding environment is enhanced thereby minimizing or eliminating the effect the oxygen on the oxygen perishable products.
