PACKAGING MEAT AND CURED MEATS

The meat sector

Meat is one of the most significant agricultural products in Europe. The four types of meat on the market:

• beef
• pork
• poultry
• sheep and goat meat

contribute to a quarter of the total agricultural production.

Meat is one of the main sources of protein and plays a key role in the European diet. European Community polices on meat aim to encourage the production of meat that is safe, nutritious and affordable. These objectives have been highlighted by the recent modifications to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which aim to give a balanced response to the demands of consumers and farmers as well as protect the environment.

Processed meat packaging according to product diversification

Meat consumption has not only a gastronomic value but also a cultural and socio-economic one. New lifestyles require a wider offer from companies:

• fresh or aged meat
• ready-to-cook or pre-cooked products
• sliced products
• cured meats

and with many products come different packaging solutions.

Packaging: a critical factor when choosing meat

Premium ready-to-cook products  together with the re-discovery of traditional dishes such processed meats for example salted and dried meats, have played a key role in the evolution of the sector. Just think of how bresaola is offered to the public today: it is presented as a quality product which meets the demands for convenience as well as healthy eating .

The packaging plays an important role when it comes to brand positioning and willingness to buy a product again, and in the meat sector it is an even more critical factor.

PFM PACKAGES MEAT

PFM faces the packaging requirements of the different types of products in this sector with dedicated flow pack machines and lines, also with the use of M.A.P., which perfectly matches the needs of the sector:

• air-tight seals,
• top hygiene,
• large printable surface with centred printing and bar code,
• pleasantly presented package, free of creases.

Products that can be packaged

PFM flow wrappers dedicated to this sector can pack:

1. fresh meat (beef, pork, poultry and lamb)
2. cured meats
3. fresh and preserved portioned meat
4. sausages
5. large cured meats
6. individually-packed or multiple-pack frozen meat.

Fresh meat and chicken breasts: dedicated packaging lines

PFM has dedicated specific flow wrappers for trays of sliced chicken, which guarantee high production capacity, up to 60 trays per minute, with in-line automatic loading. PFM lines are built to guarantee that all surfaces in contact with the product can be sanitized and that all machines’ sections, both visible and invisible, can be accessed easily.

PFM MISTRAL is the machine that PFM has specifically dedicated to this sector, and in this specific model can:

• seal printed heat-shrink SES film
• guarantee 100% airtight seals
• produce crease-free packs
• feature a 3-chamber heat-shrink tunnel, with final hot water jet that provides perfect packs.

Cured meats, cold cuts and aged meat packed in M.A.P.

PFM offers a series of flow-pack machines that specifically meet the needs of modified atmosphere packaging by offering high packaging speed, operating flexibility and extremely fast format change.

• The “Long Dwell” sealing systems guarantees airtight seals at high packaging speeds.
• PFM flow wrappers can be entirely sanitized and do not feature any inaccessible points.
• The gas injection system guarantees negligible oxygen residue levels.

Meats and cured meats packed in modified atmosphere

Flow packing in modified atmosphere in the meat sector gives a number of benefits, such as:

• extending the product’s shelf-life;
• keeping the meat fresh and the colour unchanged;
• solving any product’s weight-loss problem;
• guaranteeing aesthetically perfect and pleasant packs;
• enabling the packing of the product in a tray.

Large meat cuts and cured meats (baloney, ham, salami, etc.)

PFM dedicates to these products specific lines and solutions which reduce packaging costs thanks to the use of a roll of material that enables customisation of the shape and dimensions of the pack and its vacuum packing; implementation of the LVA function allows fast and automatic format changes.

Open & Reclose packaging

Re-closable flow pack packages for cold cuts sold in trays

In recent years PFM has devoted time to the “Open & Reclose” packaging system and has applied it also to the meat sector. When meat is packed using the “Open and Reclose” system its quality, freshness and durability over time are guaranteed; in addition the back part of the pack can be printed and customized by the client. Thanks to the “Open and Reclose” packs the service given to the consumer perfectly matches the marketing and information needs of the foodstuff producers.