Sealpac: innovative skin packaging for poultry

Not all skins are the same. Today, there are very different variants of this type of vacuum packaging. Sealpac GmbH from Oldenburg has driven forward a number of further developments in the skin sector.

Sealpac specialises in the development of packaging solutions. For the Packaging of poultry there are various solutions. One of these is a well-known alternative that has recently been increasingly used again: the Vacuum or skin packaging. Thanks to innovative developments, skin packaging, which consists either entirely of film packaging or a packaging tray and film and is sealed under vacuum, has a number of properties that benefit manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike.

Improved durability and quality

Depending on the product and the initial microbiological situation, skin packaging can significantly extend the shelf life of poultry. The use of high-quality packaging technologies, gas-impermeable films or sub-packaging and thus the exclusion of oxygen reduces aerobic microorganisms that impair the preservation of food. Retailers benefit from this reduced food spoilage in the form of Reduced amortisation rates and the consumer is happy about a longer storage optionst.

But it's not just more freshness, preservation of the meat's consistency and improved shelf life that speak in favour of skin technology. Poultry products also benefit from skin packaging in terms of flavour. This is because the meat juices, an important flavour carrier, are retained in food packaged under high vacuum. The tight-fitting film of skin packaging and the required circumferential surface sealing prevent juicing. This packaging variant has another positive effect on marinated, ready-to-grill poultry: the cell expansion during the evacuation process allows the flavours and additives to penetrate the meat better, which then takes on the desired aroma.

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„Skin packaging can be a real benefit for poultry products across the board. The development examples of our company, TraySkin^®, CookStyle and FlatSkin^®, show how versatile modern skin packaging can be,“ explains Stefan Dangel. He is responsible for marketing and sales at Sealpac GmbH, Oldenburg.

Reliable product protection

Flawless, hygienically sealed packaging is a prerequisite for the protection of sensitive poultry products. Modern skin technology delivers Absolutely leak-proof packaging. These benefit from innovative packaging materials, e.g. films made from a wide variety of compositions, which are characterised by excellent Barrier effect are characterised by their resistance to external influences. At the same time, these materials are Extremely thin and yet Particularly resilient. They prevent the packaging film from being punctured even if the product has challenging contours, e.g. protruding but not too sharp-edged bone parts in poultry. With modern skin processes, it is now also possible to wrap challengingly shaped products such as poultry in large pieces or in one piece fully automatically and perfectly with the skin film.

Attractive product presentation

Skin packaging also offers a number of advantages from a marketing perspective. They support a particularly attractive visual presentation on the market. The poultry can be clearly seen and even felt through the transparent film, which fits like a second skin. This demonstrates the supplier's integrity and creates consumer confidence. Thanks to the secure fixation, e.g. in a solid base tray, poultry packaged using the skin process can be presented in a particularly eye-catching way in the self-service area of the food retail trade.

[infotext icon]Regardless of which skin packaging variant a supplier chooses for its poultry products: Every single factor in the process chain counts. First-class product quality, innovative packaging technology and modern materials must be perfectly harmonised to ensure that the delicate food ends up on the consumer's plate in perfect condition[/infotext].

Convenient handling

Skin packaging also has a number of advantages from the consumer's perspective. Modern materials and packaging processes also make handling the packaging particularly easy: Opening aids make tools such as knives or scissors superfluous, Reclosers support safe storage with the best product quality. Functional packaging facilitate heating and guarantee successful preparation. What's more, skin packaging can be frozen and defrosted quickly and easily if necessary. The latest development examples from Sealpac GmbH, one of the leading suppliers of modern traysealers and thermoformers as well as innovative packaging solutions, show just how versatile modern skin packaging can be:

TraySkin^®Skinning in the packaging tray

With the TraySkin^®process, the poultry is vacuum-packed with a tight-fitting barrier film directly onto the Skinned in a packaging trayt. The film adapts to the contours like a second skin and holds the product firmly in its tray. It gives the packaged goods stability so that they can be presented standing upright or hanging in retail outlets. TraySkin^® is ideal for marinated poultry, for example, where it favours the development of the flavour by perfectly wrapping the product. Sealing with a second top film simplifies logistics, as the trays can be stacked more easily. The resulting additional packaging chamber can be used for extras, e.g. spice mixes, recipes and more.

Cook-Style - ovenable skin packaging

One variant that significantly simplifies handling for the consumer through simple and convenient preparation is the use of Oven or microwaveable packaging, that virtually guarantee success. These include the cook-style process (co)developed by Sealpac. The poultry is skinned in a heat-resistant tray and later placed directly in the packaging in the oven or microwave and heated. This creates a controlled internal pressure in the vacuum packaging, which results in gentle cooking process which preserves flavour and consistency. Special heat-resistant skin foils are equipped with predetermined breaking points or valves, for example. They enable a controlled release of steam during the cooking process. This preserves the nutrients and flavour of the product.

FlatSkin^® - less is more

With regard to food packaging, another aspect is playing an increasingly important role: More sustainability. Manufacturers are endeavouring to use raw materials sparingly by increasingly reducing packaging material without compromising product safety. Consumers, for their part, are looking for recyclable packaging that is still easy and convenient to handle. These different requirements are a challenge for packaging suppliers.

Sealpac GmbH have used them to develop FlatSkin^® a revolutionary and sustainable new skin variant that was developed in close collaboration with the cardboard manufacturer VG Nicolaus from Kempten. The product is skinned with an approximately 45 µm thin liner film onto a cardboard product carrier made from renewable, bleached or unbleached virgin fibres, some of which are also FSC or PEFC certified. Once the product has been removed, the thin plastic coating on the cardboard is simply peeled off. Cardboard and film can be disposed of separately. This new skin variant uses up to 70 per cent less plastic. At the same time, the high vacuum used for this process also extends the shelf life of the packaged poultry products.

The FlatSkin^®-packaging is also an attractive alternative from a marketing perspective. The extremely flat tray, which is actually only a few millimetres thick, gives the poultry pieces stability and shows them off to their best advantage. The printable base is then laminated with a polymer protective layer - the very layer that can later be easily separated from the cardboard. This process, which has only recently become available, is mainly used for Products with special presentation requirements (organic and/or premium products) are used