Sustainability and plastic reduction are the main topics in today’s packaging industry. These present special challenges to the meat sector, as for most products (e.g. steaks) there is still no suitable alternative for plastic materials that can fulfil all requirements, such as product safety, hygiene, convenience and communications. SEALPAC, worldwide leader in high-quality tray-sealing and thermoforming technology, as well as inventor of innovative packaging concepts, proves that, even for this segment, sustainable solutions are available. At IFFA 2019, the packaging specialist will present several resource-saving systems, primarily based on cardboard, for common applications in skin and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).
FlatSkin: vacuum skin packaging that requires up to 75% less plastic
SEALPAC’s FlatSkin packaging system, introduced for the very first time at Interpack 2017, is now showing significant growth on the retail shelves across Europe. Within just a short period of time, this sustainable packaging solution has proven to be a bestseller that can be found in ten different countries already. The FlatSkin system provides an attractive presentation of high-quality meat products. A highly transparent barrier skin film fixates the product directly onto the flat cardboard carrier made of bleached or unbleached fibre, which has been coated with a polymeric protective layer. This layer provides stability to the cardboard and forms a reliable barrier against grease, moisture and oxygen. The cardboard carrier can be printed on both sides and offers plenty of space for product information and branding. FlatSkin convinces in terms of sustainability, as it reduces the amount of plastic by up to 75% compared to conventional skin packaging. Furthermore, it enhances recyclability: after taking out the product, the thin polymeric layer is easily removed from the cardboard to allow for separate disposal.