More Sustainability in Fresh Meat Packaging

Conventional plastic concepts for fresh meat packaging are coming under pressure and are gradually giving way to alternative packaging. Many innovative materials are already available that combine the high functional requirements of perishable products with the desired recyclability. Some innovations for wrapping fresh meat combine sustainability and functionality and offer a wide range of environmentally friendly packaging ideas – even for different regional requirements.

The basic prerequisite for the MAP packaging concept, in which atmospheric oxygen is replaced by protective gases, is a high gas barrier for the material. Until now, multilayer trays made of polyethylene have been common in the production of trays for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). These are currently not recyclable using existing methods. However, in combination with other polyolefins, it is now possible to use ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH) to produce more sustainable MAP trays in multilayer structures that are easily recyclable.

EVOH is used in very thin thicknesses of just a few micrometers. With a material thickness of one millimeter, a gas barrier is created that is comparable to a ten-meter-thick wall of PE. Polypropylene (PP) can act as a water barrier.

Innovative Shrink Film Bags

The stretchability and shrinkability of the material used plays a key role in shrink film bags. Instead of the polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) commonly used to date, EVOH further developments are available as an alternative. The recyclable polymer combines the outstanding gas barrier properties of EVOH with the stretchability and shrinkability performance of a shrink film. Another plus point: EVOH-based shrink films are not only more environmentally friendly, but also ensure a super-transparent appearance instead of the yellowish one that is common with PVDC products.

Longer Shelf Life

To increase the shelf life of vacuum-packed fresh meat, particularly gas-impermeable materials will be used in future, reports the afz (allgemeine fleischer zeitung). Functional EVOH types maximize gas impermeability by incorporating proprietary oxygen absorbents and are recyclable. With polyester ionomers as a water barrier on the outside, the result is an aesthetically pleasing – because transparent – film that is ideal as a lidding film for vacuum skin packaging.

Vacuum skin packaging of fresh meat requires a tray in addition to the lidding film. This tray can be made of sustainable cardboard, with minimal use of plastic film as a barrier layer. A transparent film based on EVOH can be used here, which serves as a gas barrier and is surrounded by polyethylene layers as a water barrier. The advantage: by applying a very thin layer of PE/EVOH/PE, the paper can be provided with a gas barrier and a water vapor barrier. This means that the paper content of the packaging required for recycling can be achieved.

Environmentally Friendly Bioplastics

Bioplastics made from renewable raw materials are an attractive packaging alternative in terms of their sustainable production and easy recyclability. Biodegradable bioplastics based on starch – such as those offered by Kuraray with its Plantic product – enable an ecological multilayer concept for recyclable skin packaging with a high gas barrier. In addition to the excellent gas barrier, their water solubility also makes it possible to separate the outer layers in the standard PET recycling process. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene (PE) can be used as a sealing layer. Skin packaging with bioplastics is not only environmentally friendly, but also guarantees a long meat shelf life and an aesthetically pleasing presentation at the highest level.

Good Sortability and Recyclability

Until now, MAP trays for fresh meat were often made from a non-recyclable multilayer material in which layers of PET and PE enclosed an oxygen barrier layer of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). Bioplastics offer a sustainable, recyclable alternative for multilayer MAP trays. As they are water-soluble, the outer sealing and barrier layers made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene (PE) can be easily separated from the bioplastic during recycling.

Sustainability in Meat Packaging

These examples show that it is possible to meet the high functional requirements of fresh meat packaging and increase sustainability at the same time. Even if the use of plastics cannot be completely avoided for perishable food products, innovative material concepts now offer a wide range of environmentally friendly packaging solutions that minimize the use of plastic and focus on recyclability and compostability.