Faerch Plast is offering a new type of absorber for use in its plastic trays for fresh meat and fish, through a new sales agreement concerning the use of the UltraZap XtendaPak absorber from Paper Pak Industries (PPI).
According to Faerch Plast, extensive testing in the laboratory and by its customers has shown the PPI UltraZap XtendaPak helps extend shelf life by one or two days for fresh meat and possibly longer for fish, and keeps meat looking attractive up to the expiry date.
“Placed underneath the packaged meat [it] limits bacteria growth while enabling the fresh product to better retain its juices.”
The new absorber has a special feature, being activated when the packaged meat begins releasing juices on about the third day.
“The absorber then slowly emits CO2, over several days, keeping the bacteria level low and improving the meat’s ability to retains its juices,” says Joe Iannidinardo, managing director of Faerch Plast’s UK operation.
“This provides a number of benefits for producers and retailers and we have a strong expectation that the absorber will reduce wastage and extend shelf life, which is a major focus area for retailers at the moment,” he says.
Extensions in product shelf life are dependent on the meat’s initial quality, product flow and cold chain being up to standard, the company says, adding that although the functionality of the PPI absorber is “better than existing products on the market”, it looks the same and will therefore seem familiar to customers when the new absorbers appear in Faerch Plast’s trays.
The UltraZap XtendaPak absorber is produced by US-based Paper Pak Industries, which invented the first absorber in 1960.
