Meat and fish packaging: Minimizing material while maximizing protection

08 May 2024 --- Meat and fish packaging is one of the most important and carefully regulated areas of the industry, as research suggests almost half of global protein supplies come from animal sources. Product protection and shelf life are paramount given the many remote and dependent consumer regions coupled with post-COVID-19 virus fears.

Besides vacuum packaging, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is one of the most prominent pack designs in the meat and fish sector, as it provides increased shelf life and maintains product image and shelf appeal.  

While MAP was first discovered in the nineteenth century by French scientists researching ways to preserve fruits, its makeup and effectiveness have changed dramatically. Today, MAP designs typically use specific gas mixtures of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen to create an environment in which the spoilage occurs much less rapidly. 

These designs are now being altered to accommodate consumer and legislative demands for material reduction, particularly for plastics. Innova Market Insights has found that plastic remains the chief material used for meat and fish product launches. 

The market researcher also pegged “Maximizing Minimization” as a top trend for 2024, noting a 41% average annual growth globally in F&B launches with packaging that has reduced packaging claims from 2019–2023 (CAGR).

An ultra-light MAP tray.MAP vs. vacuum 
Marcel Veenstra, communications manager at Sealpac, tells Packaging Insights that in the case of fresh meat, one of the additional advantages of MAP (besides extended shelf life) “has always been the maintaining of the red color of the product.”

“When using vacuum, the red meat tends to turn purple,” he explains. “But with the growing number of skin applications, it appears that consumers have become more used to the purplish color. Nevertheless, we believe that MAP will remain a steady factor in the food industry.”

For practical reasons, another advantage of MAP over skin applications is the ability to stack the trays, as well as easy labeling of the top film, he says. 

“With skin packaging, the top film fits the contours of the product, meaning it depends on the flatness of the product and what the options are for stacking or labeling. Also, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a strong growth in e-commerce activities, where people have their groceries delivered at home. In this case, shelf life extension by means of MAP can be crucial.”

Plastic reduction
While MAP packaging offers meat and fish producers significant advantages, the designs must now also contend with demands for plastic reduction, increased recyclability or reusability, and without compromising on product protection. 

Lynsey Maddison, senior product manager at ProAmpac, tells Packaging Insights: “We’ve got new product launches this year, such as the new FibreSculpt, which is a shallow draw tray meeting a 90-10 fiber to plastic ratio.”

“ProActive Recyclable FibreSculpt complies with OPRL guidelines and boasts over 90% fiber content. This latest innovation underscores ProAmpac’s unwavering commitment to helping brands meet their sustainability goals,” shares Ali McNulty, market manager for ProAmpac.  

ProAmpac’s FibreSculpt packaging.Similarly, Veenstra says that Sealpac is working to meet the food industry’s demand for reduced plastics. “Regarding fresh meat and seafood, this has resulted in the development of so-called ultra-light trays, preferably made of mono-PP or mono-PET,” he says. 

“Sealpac, in close cooperation with its partners, has succeeded in reducing the material of the 190 x 144 mm tray, the most common size used in, for example, Europe, from 18 grams in 2003 to well below 10 grams today.”

Hybrid packaging 
As part of the demand for more sustainability, Veenstra says Sealpac is also seeing more hybrid packs being introduced. These packs consist of a paper base but still require a plastic inlay or liner to achieve the right amount of barrier for MAP. 

“As Sealpac, for example, we offer our eTray solution. This tray is prefabricated by means of a special thermoforming process and has a highly stable, uninterrupted sealing edge, which means we can guarantee the hermetic seal under MAP,” he says. 

Hybrid packs have three main advantages, Veenstra explains. First, the paper base allows for excellent product communication and branding. Second, the amount of plastic compared to common trays in the market is reduced significantly (in the case of eTray, Sealpac has achieved up to 40% less plastic). 

Third, recycling is encouraged as the different materials are easily separated after use for individual disposal as plastic or paper waste. 

“In thermoforming applications, there is the option of using paper-based bottom film, but these are less easy to separate into individual components. However, as long as the plastic content is minimal, in most countries, you will be able to dispose of it as paper,” he continues. 

Sliced salmon in Sealpac’s FlatMap packaging.Resealing on MAP applications 
For meat and fish products that require repeated use, some companies have developed systems where the modified atmosphere can be largely maintained within a reclosable format. 

An example is Sealpac’s FlatMap system, which allows for the packaging of sliced meat and seafood products under a modified atmosphere. 

“In addition to reduced plastic usage, improved recycling and optimal branding possibilities, this system will show a whole new level of reclosability so that consumers can enjoy their product fresh until the very last slice,” says Veenstra. 

“MAP requires a longer sealing process than sealing only, as first the air inside the package needs to be removed, and then the gas mixture is added,” he explains. “With food manufacturers looking for highest packaging efficiency, Sealpac has always focused on optimizing its traysealers and thermoformers for running MAP at highest outputs.” 

Due to a new drive system, the speed of the entire process is based on a simple principle: the number of packages to be sealed per minute, as specified by the operator. This determines the speed of all subsequent processes. 

The result is an increasingly optimal packaging process, which, if necessary, extends to the maximum physical limits set by the product and the packaging materials — including when running MAP, concludes Veenstra. 

By Louis Gore-Langton