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Replacing plastic packaging for case-ready meat

In launching its line of premium beef, OSI Europe was the first to commercialize an innovative vacuum skin packaging system that can reduce the amount of plastic used by up to 75%.

FlatSkin packaging from OSI Europe.
FlatSkin packaging from OSI Europe.

How can meat products be packaged sustainably without having to compromise on product protection, hygiene, and convenience? This is where suppliers to the packaging industry, food manufacturers, and retailers are searching for new solutions.

Until today, there have been few suitable alternatives to plastic when it comes to packaging fresh red meat. But now OSI Europe, which supplies meat products to leading brands in foodservice and retail, has opted for FlatSkin®, an innovative packaging method that scores some significant sustainability points by reducing the amount of plastic involved. OSI is a subsidiary of Aurora, IL-based OSI Group, which operates more than 65 production sites andhas 20,000 employees in 17 countries.

FlatSkin is a joint development of three packaging technology specialists: SEALPAC, supplier of high-tech tray-sealing technology; VG Nicolaus GmbH, specialist in paperboard packaging and folding cartons; and Wentus Kunststoff GmbH, professionals in the field of barrier films and laminations. By joining hands, these three companies were able to develop a vacuum skin-packaging format that fulfills the demands expressed by OSI.

A major trigger for OSI to switch to this new packaging system is an ongoing change in market conditions. As Erik Schöttl, Managing Director Foodworks Europe at OSI, explains: “We recently see a trend towards high-quality products, such as our dry-aged steaks. These products need to be packaged with both shelf appeal and product protection as key considerations. At the same time, sustainability has grown increasingly important in the decision-making process of the consumer. Therefore, we started looking for a high-end packaging solution for our premium beef steaks that would not only combine maximum product safety and high-class graphics, but would also offer convenient handling, cost-efficiency, and conservation of resources.”

In the FlatSkin® process, the Sealpack machine used is the A7 traysealer. Four packs per cycle are produced at a rate of about seven cycles/min. A highly transparent roll-fed barrier film called WENTOPRO SkinTight 15 FS from Wentus Kunststoff pins the product, for example a steak, directly onto an extremely flat paperboard carrier. This film, a 7-layer coextrusion that includes EVOH for oxygen barrier, is applied under vacuum.

Worth noting is the composition of the paperboard carrier, which is made from bleached or unbleached fiber. VG Nicolaus receives from Wentus a seven-layer coextrusion that it adhesive laminates to the paperboard after it’s been printed. This serves as a protective layer that provides stability to the paperboard and forms a reliable barrier against grease, moisture, and oxygen. Another important performance characteristic in this material is that it is specially formulated so that consumers have an easy-peel experience when they go to remove the vacuum skin-packaging film that holds the steak to the paperboard.

The paperboard carrier can be printed on both sides, hence offering optimal space for product information while providing unique branding opportunities. In the case of OSI, the printing is done front and back on an offset press in four colors.

The FlatSkin® system combines all the benefits of vacuum skin packaging, such as extended shelf life and natural aging of the beef, with a particularly attractive product presentation. At the same time, the system is extremely economical and sustainable, as it significantly reduces the amount of plastic used and improves recyclability.

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