For years, packing products companies have run into difficulties when packing and shipping meat. The food can often last just a few days before the freshness and overall quality of the product is tainted.

There are new and better ways frequently entering the market that companies and consumers alike can benefit from.

There is a plethora of benefits for both the consumer and the manufacturer in exploring the arena of packaging within the food industry.  If one were to merely snapshot the volume of the fresh meat market alone, one would be astounded.  According to reports, that one product accounts for approximately 4 billion pounds and $15 billion in sales annually.  The packaging involved must take on several facets, including protection against contamination, ranging temperature levels and lighting.  It also must provide an appealing, transparent package on which a label can be displayed.  In an effort to extend the shelf life of meat, the industry looks to the development of new products to facilitate potential geographical sales, improve the ease of shipping, lower the cost of meat production on the environment and reinvigorate the product's premium nature.

"New packaging and processing technologies have major benefits for retailers, consumers and producers alike," Rabobank analyst Clara van der Elst told the news source. "For the retailer, less waste and fewer markdowns are conducive to lowering costs. Consumers benefit from a longer consumption period and fewer preservatives, in turn fulfilling demand for 'natural' foods, and producers benefit from increased market potential through an expanded geographical export range".

Export potential is especially growing in some European markets. Packaging options such as vacuum packaging, which refers to the use of plastic bags which are vacuum sealed, removing the oxygen from the packaging, and carbon monoxide-modified atmosphere packaging, which uses a combination of rigid plastic trays, clear high-barrier plastic films and  purified gases, can improve reception of the meats. These two forms of modified atmosphere packaging may help expand the window of sales for exporting meats to several other locations.

Paper absorber may go further

Pack World reported that one of the latest innovations is a new absorber that can be placed at the bottom of a traditional meat packing container. On the third or so day that the meat is being held, it begins to release juices. This absorber can recognize that moment and slowly emits CO2 over the next several days, lowering the meat's bacterial level and improving its retention of juices. This helps to keep the meat and its appearance fresh up until its expiration date.

While developing this absorber, manufacturers found that it may be capable of extending the shelf life of various meats for as many as two days and possibly longer for fish, assuming that the meat's quality, product flow and cold chain are satisfactory. It is hoped that if this absorber is used over a long period of time, it will help reduce the volume of food waste throughout the industry.