Meat + Poultry - March 2006 - 38

Vacuum packaging

fit for this type of environment because of its ease of use and simplicity for handling products. "I think (the
increased demand for vacuum packaged meats) is a convenience and ease
of use issue more than a shelf life issue for the products we manufacture,"
says Bozzo. "If you're talking fresh
cuts, it is about shelf life. We don't do
a lot of fresh cut, so it's not about shelf
life as much as ease of use."
Vacuum packaging can be about
quality with frozen product as well.
Frozen products stored in poly-lined
boxes will develop oxidative rancidity, off flavors and/or freezer burn,
says Stockley. While this may not
result in an economical loss because
it stays frozen until the time it is prepared, it can result in a loss of product quality, which can be financially
deadly in the restaurant business. On
the other hand, Stockley says there is
currently a move to a fresh approach
in the restaurant industry, and vacuum packaging plays well into these
fresh solutions. "If they are looking
for fresh application, vacuum packaging is the natural," he says.
Aging opportunities
As an overall trend, C.M.A.'s customers are requesting a higher level of
customization nowadays, Bozzo says.
"We are seeing more customers asking
for proprietary seasonings and spices
to match their menu style and for some

MEAT&POULTRY

I March 2006

of them packaging is part of that customization," he adds.
Foodservice operators want packages to be customized to fit their needs,
such as having two pork chops portions
in a single vacuum pouch because that
is how they are sold, Bozzo says.
Additionally, vacuum packaging offers a lot of efficiencies in regard to delivery costs through the supply chain.
In fact, packers originally started using
vacuum packaging to ship subprimals
because they got better efficiency in
distribution and in yield loss.
Consumers Packing does a lot of
aging of its beef products in vacuum
packaged bags. It ages subprimals in
the bags it receives from packers; it
does not package any products with
further intent to age, Schutz says. "We
probably have $5 million or $6 million
dollars of product aging as we speak,"
he says.
The company also dry ages beef
outside of vacuum packaging but it is
a much smaller portion of business,
he notes. "You get taste and you get
tenderness and flavor by aging in the
bags," he adds.
Dry aging in a humidity-controlled
cabinet will result in more flavor; however, it also results in greater yield loss,
according to Stockley. "Most of your
high-end restaurants prefer a dry aged
product," he says. "Others are looking
for tenderness, which you are going to
get aging dry or wet."

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Improving integrity
Through the years, continued improvements have been made to vacuum packaging film. Oxygen barriers
properties have been enhanced, and
the durability of films has improved,
Stockley says. Film manufacturers
have engineered tougher materials,
which is especially important at retail
because of the number of hands the
product goes through. Packages have
to be able to handle the abuse they
get all the way from the packer to the
distribution center to the back room
of the store to the retail case. Once
there, they have to survive constant
handling by consumers, then, they
can go from the shopping cart to the
ride home to the home freezer or refrigerator, he says. "That can be very
demanding on package integrity,"
Stockley says.
It is important to continue to focus
on produce integrity, he adds. Processors always welcome anything packaging companies can do to eliminate
leakage and advance shelf life, including the possible use of smart materials
in the future, he says.
Left: Steaks are loaded into a rollstock
machine at Consumers Packing Co., where
they will be vacuum packaged. Vacuum
packaging has continued to gain momentum
in the packaging of meat products.
Right: Consumers Packing Co. uses a vacuum
packaging film that displays its names across
its products. (Photos courtesy of Consumers
Packing Co. )

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Meat + Poultry - March 2006

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