this is report of packaging of flesh product

1. ASSIGNMENT ON
“PACKAGING OF FLESH PRODUCTS”
Subject Name: Food Packaging (FP)
Submitted To: Dr. Chenna Kesava Reddy
(Assistant Professor)
Submitted By: Panpatte Suraj Ashok
02PGDM-FPBM17

2. INTRODUCTION
Packing implies the process of wrapping up of product into a case or container, for the purpose
of protection
• Wrapping and storing the product in a proper way
• To facilitate safety
• To identify the brand and attract customers
• It provides quality, quantity and hygienic standards
• All these quality and safety properties are highly dependent on meat packaging materials
and technologies
The fundamental reasons for packaging fresh and processed meat products are
• preventing contamination
• delaying spoilage
• permitting some enzymatic activity to improve tenderness
• reducing weight loss
• retaining colour and aroma
The meat industry is an important sector of food industry in the world and comes in the first five
ranked agricultural commodities like rice, milk, wheat etc. However, in India, this industry is not
so developed due to religious taboos and economic conditions. India is the largest producer of

3. animals in the world. Both animal husbandry and meat industry have a great socio-economic and
cultural importance in the country.
Packaging of Fresh Meat Packaging Requirements
Fresh meat is highly perishable and a biologically active item. The quality of fresh meat is
affected by the growth of micro-organisms, enzyme activity and by oxidation. The
microbiological activity continues even after refrigeration and packaging, though at a reduced
rate. The factors that make fresh meat unsalable are changes in color, odor, taste and texture. The
pigments present in fresh meat are proteins like hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin does
the function of transfer of oxygen from the blood and myoglobin acts as a storage mechanism of
oxygen in cells. Myoglobin has a purple red color, which is the characteristic color of fresh meat
when it is first cut. In presence of oxygen, there is formation of oxy myoglobin, which imparts a
bright red color to the meat. In the absence of oxygen, oxy myoglobin gets reconverted to
myoglobin.
Packaging Materials and Techniques
Tray with Over-wrap: Retail cuts of fresh meat are generally placed in rigid trays of expanded
polystyrene or clear plastic trays, over-wrapped with transparent plastic films. The advantages of
using these trays are that they are non-absorbent and aesthetically appealing. Usually blotters are
kept at the base of the tray to absorb meat juice. The over wrapping film should have excellent
optical properties. Cellophane coated with nitrocellulose on one side has been in use for
wrapping fresh meat for a long time. The un-coated side is kept in contact with the meat.
Moisture saturation on the inner side of the film increases its oxygen permeability, while
nitrocellulose coating on the outer side prevents excessive moisture loss to the atmosphere.
Another grade of cellophane with polyethylene coating on one side is used to pack irregular
shaped meat cuts. LDPE may also be used for fresh meat packaging. At gauges lower than 0.001
in, it is sufficiently permeable to oxygen and provides a suitable moisture vapor barrier. One
problem, however, has been the condensation of moisture on the inner surface of the
polyethylene.
Shrink Packaging: Plastic Shrink films are used for wrapping large and uneven cuts of fresh
meat. It is a technique in which heat shrinkable polymer film is shrunk around the meat product
by application of heat to achieve a skin-tight and compact pack. The packaging film should have
structural strength. It should be a good water vapor barrier and be capable of withstanding
storage temperature of about – 45°C.
Vacuum Packaging: This technique is used for packaging of primal and sub-primal cuts of
buffalo meat. In vacuum packaging, the product is filled in a bag/pouch; air is withdrawn either
by nozzle vacuuming or by chamber vacuuming and the bag/pouch is heat sealed thus storing the
product in an air free environment. The plastic film used for vacuum packaging must have a high

4. resistance to gases and water vapor with perfect seals and good mechanical strength.
Typical packaging materials used are:
• Polyethylene / co-polymer coated cellulose film laminates
• Polyester / polyethylene film laminates
• Polyamide / polyethylene laminates
Skin Packaging: Another development that offers advantages for presentation as well as
packaging design variety is skin packaging. The process allows the packaging film to conform
exactly to the profile of the product. This gives rise to many opportunities for enhanced product
presentation as well as further improving the integrity of the pack itself. In a skin pack, the
product becomes the die for the thermoform packaging operation.
Modified Atmosphere Packaging: The use of MAP technology in meat industry has shown
increasing trend during the past decade. MAP extends the shelf-life of meat and meat products
under refrigerated storage and maintains, color, texture and flavor of the product for a
considerably longer time in flexible plastic films. Application of MAP improves shelf-life of raw
chilled meat with reference to color, delaying bacterial spoilage and minimizing exudate loss.

5. Packaging of Frozen Meat
Major portion of exports of meat from India is in frozen form. Preservation of meat by freezing,
offers the greatest advantages of increase in shelf-life, inhibition of bacterial growth and
preservation of fresh texture and flavor. If frozen meat is not properly packed there is continues
dehydration from the surface resulting in freezer burn. This condition affects the surface texture
and color. Meat fat is also prone to the development of oxidative rancidity if a good oxygen
barrier is not used. Hence, frozen meat needs protection against:
• Dehydration and loss of surface texture
• Moisture loss
• Temperature fluctuations
• Rancidification
• Pick up of odors / flavors
• Expansion and contractions which occur during freezing and thawing
Packaging Requirements
A suitable packaging material must, therefore, have a very low moisture vapor and oxygen
transmission rate. The material should also be durable at freezer temperature, have very high wet
strength and be impermeable to odor and flavors.
Packaging Materials
Plastics are amongst the most commonly used materials for packaging of frozen meat Generally,
low density polyethylene (150 - 200 gauge) is used for this purpose as it provides adequate
clarity and is stable at low temperatures and is available at low cost. Polyester or Nylon / PE

6. laminates and heat shrinkable low density polyethylene and PVC / PVDC co-polymer films also
provide functional properties, besides giving neat appearance to the frozen meat cuts. Shrink
packaging also allows convenient handling of the product
Packaging of Cured Meat
Cured meat like ham, bacon, luncheon meat and frank furthers have a shelf-life of 12-15 days at
4°C depending upon the degree of curing. The attractive pink color present in cured meat is due
to a pigment called nitroso myoglobin. Although this enzyme is more stable thanoxy myoglobin,
it is readily oxidized to Meta myoglobin. The color of the meat can fade due to the action of
light.
Studies Conducted at IIP
Shelf-life studies of some meat and poultry products were carried out at the Institute, using
modified atmosphere packaging technology. The products considered for the study were:
• Chilled minced meat
• Salami
• Sausages
• Ready-to-cook chicken products (chicken drumsticks)
The shelf-life studies were carried out at refrigerated storage conditions of 0°C to 5°C. The
products were packed by three different packaging systems viz.:
• Ordinarily packed
• Vacuum packed
• Gas flushed
The packaging materials used were: 1) 10μ PET / 45μ HDPE – LDPE – Co-extended 2) LDPE –
BA – Nylon – BA – LLDPE 3) HDPE – LDPE – HDPE 4) HDPE – LLDPE 5) HDPE + LDPE (
Blended) 100% Carbon dioxide was used for making gas flushed pouches. Chilled meat and
ready to cook chicken drumsticks were packed in material 1 and 2 by ordinary and vacuum
packaging method. Salami and sausages were packed in materials1 and 2 by all the three
methods viz. Ordinary, Vacuum and Gas flushing. Materials 3,4and 5 were used to pack chilled
minced meat, salami & sausages by ordinary method only. The shelf-life of the meat and poultry
products in different packaging materials is given in Table. The results of the study indicate that
vacuum packaging gives a better shelf- life for processed meat products as compared to
ordinary/gas packaging.