FRESH MEAT PACKAGING

INTRODUCTION

Fresh meat: preservation processes (✔︎refrigeration / freezing).

Processed meat: has not modified the internal structure of its muscle fiber.
Example: + additives.

Packaged to protect against the deterioration:

- Discoloration
- Changes in taste, smell, or textura
- Loss of nutrients, or pathogenicity

Shelf life → period of time during a product is safe and maintains sensory, physicochemical,
microbiological, and functional characteristics.

Factors that affect the shelf life:

Intrinsic Extrinsic
Composition of the product or Design of the protective atmosphere or hygienic and
initial organoleptic characteristics. sanitary conditions of the equipment, packaging, workers…
 INTRODUCTION

Fresh meat has high water activity → contribute to deterioration → growth of undesirable
microorganisms. nutrient
content
Biogenic amines: ⇧ due to bacterial metabolic activity.
Indicators of quality → Lipid oxidation: unpleasant flavors and odors.

Type of muscle or cut and the pre-slaughter

Alterations in quality → Pre-slaughter treatment muscle activity
Pork: acute stress leads to PSE meat.
Prolonged stress results in DFD meat (Also in beef). Pork: Muscles with fast-twitch fibers  PSE meat.
Beef: DFD is the consequence of prolonged stress. Beef: Fibers with slow-twitch  DFD meat.

Their shelf life, it´s closely related to PSE and DFD characteristics.
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The shelf life of a product packaged in the

absence of O2 shouldn’t exceed 10 days → Potential growth of non-proteolytic C. botulinum

Thermorestable toxin
Isn’t produced at Tª < 3°C
This temperature may not be
maintained in domestic refrigerators.
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Types of packaging at the supermarket

< 20% Of Vacuum

is Skin

≈ 40% Of Vacuum
is Skin
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Packaging depending on type of meat

M.A.P

VACUUM

SKIN
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Chapter I of Title VII of Law 7/2022, of April 8, on Waste and Contaminated Soils for a Circular Economy.

Effective as of January 1, 2023

Indirect tax applies to the use of non-reusable plastic packaging in Spain

Containing Semi-finished plastic products

Protecting

Plastics empty or Manipulating goods

Distributing Products containing plastic intended to enable their closure,

marketing, or presentation
Presenting
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T H E M E AT I N D U S T RY

Meat industry: a pioneer using packaging technologies in a protective atmosphere to improve the
useful life of its products.

Vacuum packaging:

Remove the air from the package.

● Objective: a residual oxygen content of less than 1%.

● The packaging material adheres to the food.
● Benefits: inhibits the growth of aerobic microorganisms
and oxidation reactions.

Vacuum skin packaging:

● Material used is heated before it is placed on the food

and the material adapts to the shape of food.
● Low pH meat (beef and pork): conventional vacuum or
"second skin" is recommended due to less microbial
growth.
● The presence of CO2 and the absence of oxygen
contribute to a longer shelf life.
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T H E M E AT I N D U S T RY

Modified atmosphere packaging:

● Air is extracted and replaced by a gas or a
combination.
● High pH meat (turkey and lamb): CO2 modified
atmospheres are recommended. Gas composition:
65-80% O2 / 20-35% CO2 / Rest N2.
● With high levels of CO2, exudates are produced
and development of microorganisms can appear.

Importance of oxygen in the protective atmosphere of meat:

● O2 is important to maintain the red color of meat but

favors oxidation and the growth of aerobic
microorganisms.
● To prevent, is combined with CO2.
● A low proportion of O2 can change the color to brown
and gray.

Advantages: Less complementary treatments (like additives), more commercial life and distribution áreas.
Disadvantages: Loss of package hermeticity eliminates its advantages.
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Thermoformers - Thermoforming machines

Vacuum chambers
● Vacuum is used to extract the air and
create a vacuum in the chamber.
● If protective atmosphere is used,
gases are injected.
● The material is led to a mold to form a tray thanks to heat.
● Then the meat is introduced on the tray.
● The tray goes inside the vacuum chamber and sealing
module.
● The tray is closed with a top film from another coil.
● Cutting system separates the finished trays.

Thermoformers
Vacuum chamber Thermoformers
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Traysealers

There are 2 parts: the lower component and an upper component.

1. The chamber closes hermetically.

2. The air inside the chamber is extracted.

3. The protective atmosphere is introduced.

4. The film used as a lid is sealed.

5. Excess material is trimmed off to finish the process.

Traysealer

Traysealer
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Form-fill-seal equipment

Ulma + Sealed Air Corp, has designed horizontal form-fill-seal equipment.

● Forms bags adapted to the size of the food and is sealed at one end.
● The seams and one end are sealed to form a bag.
● They are transferred to the vacuum packaging chamber.
● The open end of the bag is oriented towards the sealing bars and a vacuum is formed.