Winner of the Diamond Award in this year’s DuPont competition was FreshCase technology from Curwood. This is not the first major award for FreshCase this year. It also won a Gold Award in the annual competition sponsored by the Flexible Packaging Association.
FreshCase is described as the first-ever vacuum package for red meat that maintains the meat’s appetizing color. Other methods of vacuum packaging red meat deprive the meat of oxygen and consequently cause the meat to darken to almost a purple color. And U.S. consumers don’t like that color when it comes to fresh red meat.
The secret to Fresh case is that its meat-contact layer includes sodium nitrite. Enzymes in the meat come in contact with the sodium nitrite to produce nitric oxide gas, which, Curwood points out, is part of ordinary human cell activity. The nitric oxide gas combines with myoglobin in the meat to give the meat the fresh red color with which consumers are familiar.
Other intriguing entries that won Silver Awards were the Kraft YES (Yield, Ease, Sustainability) Pack and Tide Pods from Procter & Gamble. The YES Pack helps foodservice operators manage costs and improve back of house efficiencies with improved dressing yields of up to 99%. Dual-handled design—one on top, one on bottom—allows for easy carrying and the smaller spout provides precision pouring. Compared to a rigid gallon jug, YES pack is made with 50% less energy, 60% less plastic, 70% fewer carbon dioxide emissions during transportation.
The PODS are described as the first three-chamber unit-dose in the laundry care category, offering a convenient three-in-one laundry detergent. PODS eliminates spills and the need to measure and pour liquid detergents. The pre-measured unit dose pack uses a specially developed film that dissolves completely in the wash.
