PACKAGING OF MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS

Dr Girish Patil S Pr. Scientist., Dr Yogesh P Gadekar Sr. Scientist

ICAR – National Research Centre on Meat
Chengicherla, Hyderabad 50092
 1.0 Overview of Indian meat sector
About 71% of the Indian population is non vegetarian
Species-wise meat contribution (2018-19)

• India produced 8.6 MT of meat in 2019-20 and the sector

is growing at 6% annually
• Meat sector contributed Rs 2,18,540 Crore to GDP
(2018-19) and US $ Million 3400 to foreign exchange
through exports
 2.0 What is packaging
Packaging refers to the scientific method of containing a food for optimum
protection till it reaches the consumer

In modern terms, packaging is

considered as a marketing tool

Proper packaging helps in maintaining the quality of the product during

storage, transport and provides convenience for handling.
 3.0 Functions of packaging

• Prevent moisture loss during storage

• Offer meat in the most desirable color

• Prevent microbial contamination

• Prevent foreign odour absorption

• Prevent lipid oxidation

• Help in consumer education

 4 basic functions

Protect product from

Hold the contents
external environment &
during handling &
reduction of waste
Protection Containment transportation

Function 1 Function 2
Informatio Promotion
n
Function 3 Function 4
General features, ingredients, Attractive colors, logos, symbols
net weight, name & address & captions influence customer
of manufacturers, MRP purchase decision
 4.0 Packaging materials and forms

Packaging materials and forms are classified as

• Rigid packaging materials and forms

• Semi- rigid Packaging materials and forms

• Flexible Packaging materials and

• Flexible Packaging forms

 Packaging Forms
Rigid packaging materials and forms
Glass containers, Metal cans, Composite containers,
Rigid plastic package

Semi-rigid packaging materials and forms:

Aluminium containers, Set-up paper board boxes,
Folding paper board cartons
 Flexible packaging materials

Paper - the basic papers used consists of bonds, tissue, litho, krafts, glassines, parchment and grease
proof

Films - cellophane, cellulose acetate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl

chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate and polyvinyl alcohols

New films - amylase films (edible), Ionomers like surlyn-A, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers,
polypropylene copolymers, co-extruded structured films, aluminium foils and steel foil.

Flexible package forms

Wrappers, Preformed bags or envelopes, Pouches, Collapsible tubes

 Characteristics of packaging films

• Flexibility & mechanical strength

• Light weight & easy recycling

• Nontoxic & odourless

• Resistance to hot and cold temperatures

• Resistance to oil and fats

• Good barrier properties against gases

• Sealing capability & low-cost.

 5.0 Packaging of Fresh Meat
• Fresh meat is highly perishable and prone to
dehydration & oxidation.

• Typical colour, flavour and texture

• Colour is the most important attribute, bright red

colour (oxymyoglobin), most desired

• It should be partially permeable to air for bright

colour of meat

• Natural flavour-desired, without microbial growth

• Dehydration: affects both colour and texture

• Storage at temp. 00C, R.H. 85-90%

 Short term storage
Overwraps
• Done with thermoplastic films having excellent
optical properties

• LDPE (100gg) is widely used and the cheapest

• Rubber HCl, Nylon, plasticised PVC can also be

used.

• Cellophane coated with nitrocellulose or P.E

cases can be used for irregular shape

• The uncoated side should contact the meat

 Shrink Film Overwrap
•These films shrink on exposure to hot air or hot water for a few seconds

• They have good moisture barrier and strength.

• Used for wrapping large and uneven cuts of fresh meat

• Mono/ biaxially stretched

• Shrink film offers neat appearance, contour of package & easy handling.

• Heat shrinkable PP, irradiated PE, PVDC can be used for this purpose.

• They can be used for freezing quarters

 Tray with overwrap
• The common packages for fresh meat cuts in
Western countries are

• Polystyrene foam or plastic trays over wrapped

with a thin thermoplastic film.

• Tray gives an appealing background support.

• Meat has a shelf life of 10 days but bright red

colour stay only for 5 days.
 Long term storage
Vacuum Packaging

- good option for primal & sub primal cuts

- inhibits growth of aerobic spoilage

bacteria and oxidative rancidity

- ensures shelf life at 00c

 8-10 weeks for red meat
 5-6 weeks for poultry
Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP)
- extends shelf life retaining freshness, colour and weight of fresh meat
- atmosphere inside package is controlled with gases usually O2 , CO2
and N2 alone or in combination
- each gas has specific function
- Buffalo and Beef meat need high oxygen content, Pork needs less oxygen
due to more fat.
MAP Mix:

Red Meats - 70% O2 + 20% CO2 + 10% N2

Pork - 80% CO2 +20% N2

Chicken meat - 60% CO2 +40% N2 (or 50:50)

Modified atmosphere packaging Gas mixture used in modified atmosphere packaging for meat
and meat products (Smiddy et al., 2002)
• Packaging materials used are gas-proof multilayer
Product Gas composition (%)
films composed for example of PE, PA and barrier O2 CO2 N2
Red meat 60-85 15-40 -
layers. Pork steak 80 20 -
Beef/venison portion 80 20 -
• Rigid films may be used to mould cup or box shaped Cooked meats - 30 70
Cooked ham in slices - 40 60
containers which are filled. A flexible lid foil is then Chops/Slices 69 20 11
Poultry - 75 25
sealed on. Processed meats - - 100
Gases used: CO2/ O2/N2

Processed meat products: 20%-30% CO2 and 70%-80% N2

Fresh meat: 70%-80% O2 and 20-%30% CO2

Robertson, 2010 (Food Packaging and Shelf Life)

 Packaging of Frozen Meat
(Must, otherwise freezer burn)

- Packaging material with low WV or G-T-R

- Durable at freezer temp., high wet strength, and

impermeable to odours

• LDPE 250-300 gauge

• MST Cellophane
• PE coated polyester
• Polyamide coated PE

- Safe for 4 months

 Packaging of Cured Meat
(Ham, bacon, luncheon meat, frankfurteurs etc.)

- Preservation of characteristic pink colour and typical

cured flavour

- Susceptibility to light, storage temp and decline in pH

Short term storage

- Overwrapping in PE, Nylone-6, PVDC

- Overwrapping in Aluminum foil/ paper laminates
 better, checks exposure to light
 gives appealing display
- Shrink packaging of ham and other uneven cuts
Long term storage of Cured Meat
(in dim light) Vacuum packaging and MAP

- Suitable for sliced bacon, luncheon meat etc.

- Laminate pouches of

• Polyester/PVDC/PE
• Polyamide/ PVDE/PE
• Metallised polyamide/ EVA

Vacuum packaging - Vacuum level of 25 to 29 inches is generally desired

MAP Gas mix - 10-15% CO2 + 85-90% N2

• Shelf life
- 3 months at 0-40C
- 6 to 8 months at -180C
 6.0 Packaging of Dehydrated Meat Products
• Freeze dried/ Accelerated freeze dried meat products
• Hygroscopic, susceptible to the development of rancid flavour
• Packaging material
- impermeable to moisture & O2
- must protect against light, foreign odours
• Vacuum sealed tin plate cans
• Modified Atmosphere packaging
- 100% N2 under sufficient pressure
- restricts movement/ improves package shape
• Metal foil/ plastic film laminate
- Aluminum foil/ polyester
- Aluminum foil/ cellophane/PE
• Shelf stable for one year
 7.0 Retort processing of meat products

• Lack of cold storage facility is one of the impediments to distribution, marketing and
consumption of processed pork products.

• Shelf stable meat products are the products which can be stored at room temperature
and obviates the requirement of refrigeration.

• High temperature processing also called sterilization can achieve shelf stability.

• Thermal sterilization can be achieved by retort processing of meat products.

• Retort processing: It is a method sterilization which involves the application of high

temperature thermal treatment in a hermetically sealed container for sufficiently long
time to destroy microorganisms of public health and spoilage concerns.
• Commercial sterility refers to application of heat to render the product free
of microorganisms that are capable of reproducing in food under normal
non refrigerated condition of storage and distribution.
• Destruction of microbial populations implies that both vegetative cells and
spores of pathogens are prevented from growing and, in relevant cases,
producing toxins.
• Inactivation of meat enzymes occurs in most cases at 60–75 °C; bacterial
spores require temperatures between 115 °C and 121 °C.
Efficacy of thermal process depends on:
- Physical properties of product
- Thermal resistance of the target microorganisms
- pH, water activity and salt content of the food
 Thermal processing using retort pouches
Retortable pouches, which are containers made of either of laminates of synthetic materials only or
laminates of aluminium foil with synthetic materials, are of growing importance in themal food
preservation.

Four layer laminates commonly used

1. Cast poly propylene
2. Biaxially oriented nylon
3. Aluminium foil &
4. Polyester
Dimension: 20 cm × 15 cm
 Retort design and process
Sterilization process involves
three phases:
Phase 1: Heating phase;
Phase 2: Holding phase
Phase 3: Cooling phase

High temperature is generated by direct steam injection, by heating water up to

temperatures over 1000 C or by combined steam and water heating.
Development of thermal processing schedule for production of shelf stable
ready-to-eat pork products

Retort Pork Processing Unit

 Physical properties of retort pouches used
Sl No Parameters Value

1 Total thickness 114 micron

2 Pouch length 200 mm
3 Pouch width 150 mm
4 Pouch weight 7.86 g
5 Seal width (side) 10 mm
6 Seal width (bottom) 9 mm
7 Tensile strength (Lengthwise) 574.05 kg/cm2
8 Tensile strength (Widthwise) 523.73 kg/cm2
9 Heat seal strength (Lengthwise) 7.74 kgf/15 mm
10 Heat seal strength (Widthwise) 7.319 kgf/ 15 mm
11 Peel bond strength 228.71 gf/15 mm

(Evaluated at Indian Institute of Packaging, New Delhi)

Formulation of Mix Veg Pork Curry
Sl No. Ingredient %
1 Pork 30.92
2 Carrot 3.71
3 Beans 3.71
4 Tomato 6.18
5 Green peas 3.71
6 Green chilly 0.37
7 Capsicum 3.09
8 Ginger & Garlic paste 2.47
9 Onion 3.71
10 Turmeric powder 0.19
11 Black pepper 0.12
12 Bay leaves 0.12
13 Refined oil 3.71
14 Salt 1.24
15 Water 30.92
16 Red chilli powder 0.25
17 Rice powder 3.09
18 Cashew 1.24
19 Dry grapes 0.62
20 Coriander leaves 0.62
Total 100.00
Retort Processed Mix Veg Pork Curry
Graphical depiction of product temperature, retort temperature and
F0 value of ‘Mix veg pork curry’

Standardized F0 : 12.86; Total process time: 57.33 minutes

 8.0 Advanced packaging methodologies
1. Active packaging:

Allows packages to interact with food and environment. Additives extend product quality and
shelf-life by delaying oxidation and microbial growth

2. Antimicrobial packaging

Antimicrobial coatings – nisin and alginate coated films. UV and surface treated packaging
materials

3. Intelligent packaging

Monitors the condition of packaged foods. Gives information about the quality of the
packaged food during transport and storage

4. Smart packaging

Responds to environmental conditions or repair itself or alert consumer about contamination

or the presence of pathogens.
 Active or Smart Packaging

Oxygen sensitive foods – elimination of head space oxygen by

incorporating oxygen scavengers

Carbon dioxide build up in packs – Carbondioxide scavengers

Inversely, Carbon dioxide generation in packs - by placing CO2 filled

sachets

Ethylene scavengers - becoming common in packages of fruits & vegetables to

- retard maturity
- enhance shelf life
 Intelligent packaging
Indicator sensor for real-time monitoring of meat quality

• Indicator sensor was prepared using bromophenol blue (1% w/v) as indicator
solution and filter paper as indicator carrier

• The indicator sensor changed its color from yellow to blue starting from
margins during the storage period of 24 h at ambient temperature and this
correlated well with changes in meat quality parameters

Shukla et al. (2015)

 Anthocyanins Based Indicator Sensor for Intelligent Packaging Application

•Natural dyes extracted from the flower of rose and red cabbage were immobilized on
filter paper as carrier to prepare a colorimetric sensor for application in intelligent
packaging.
•Indicator sensor was based on natural flavonoids (anthocyanins) extracted from red
cabbage and rose whose colour changed from red to green with increase in pH
•Since pH value of flesh foods concerns their freshness, the indicator sensor is expected
to provide a convenient, nondestructive and visual method for flesh food spoilage in
storage condition and also for the prediction of shelf life.

Shukla et al. (2016)

 9.0 Biodegradable Packaging
Plastic packaging materials - problem of after use disposal throughout polymers of
synthetic origin the world
- Misery of environmental pollution
- Problem of blockages of sewer lines

Serious efforts being made - environmental friendly biodegradable

to develop packaging

Nature biopolymers - films of vegetable origin

Polysaccharidefilms - derived from starch and its derivatives

- Cellulose and its derivatives
- gelatin, gum, gluten etc.
- good mechanical and optical properties
- limitations
 susceptibility to moisture
 low water vapour barrier
 Biodegradable Packaging contd…

Biopolymer films derived from - lipids and waxes or their derivatives

- good barrier to water vapours
- Limitations
 fragile
 opaque
 prone to rancidity

Technologists are looking for viable alternatives

Concept of composite synthetic polymers and biopolymer with starch as a base

e.g.  gelatinised starch/ hydrophobic copolymer/ polyethylene

 starch hyderolysates/ polyster

 thermo plastic corn starch/ glycerol or sorbited as plasticises

 Biodegradable packaging material for meat

Biodegradable films for meat made from chitosan, whey protein concentrate,
soy protein, various types of starch and composite materials (GADVASU)
 10.0 Edible Packaging

With the development of all vegetable biopolymers

Area of edible films and coating has acquired a new

dimension

Emerging field

Coating of red meat - improved starch and pectin films

- helps in maintaining desired colour
- sensory attributes not affected
 Packaging problems, their symptoms and manifestations
Effects Possible causes
Retail Packs
Reduction in color shelf life Meat has been aged too long
Temperature abuse during supply chain
Poor quality packaging materials Faulty seals
Incorrect use of gases (CO2, O2, N2)
Localized browning in MA packs Meat in contact with the film
Meat appears overly dark DFD (dark, firm and dry)
Bulging MA packs Release of carbon dioxide
High drip loss Use of frozen meat
Temperature abuse
High microbial numbers, spoilage Poor hygienic practice
Temperature abuse
Effects Possible causes
Vacuum Packs
Reduction in color shelf life Using meat aged on bone prior to packing
Temperature abuse
Poor quality packaging materials
'Greening' (putrefaction in 2-3 weeks) High pH meat (pH > 6.0) allows hydrogen sulphide producing
bacteria to grow
Packaging materials with relatively high oxygen permeability
Gas production through pack Spore-forming bacteria
expansion
 Packaging & Labelling
The identity of the meat product;
The net quantity of the meat product FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (PACKAGING AND LABELLING)
REGULATIONS, 2011
The list of ingredients (where applicable);
The name and address of the registered establishment
where the meat product was produced or labelled
and
The storage instructions, and, where applicable:
The durable shelf life statement;
The production date or the identification code of
production lot.
The water declaration for raw single-ingredient
meat products
Nutrition labelling