42 MACHINERY UPDATE MARCH/APRIL 2022 www.machineryupdate.co.uk
Feature: Meat, fish and other proteins intro Southern Manufacturing Review PPMA Show Review – Introduction Meats and fish are answering demand for sustainability…
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s if belching and farting cows are not enough of an environmental issue for the market to deal with, like most fast moving consumer goods, the meat sector is also now having to consider its packaging choices very seriously – as are fish processors along with other proteins suppliers. Long before the upcoming Plastic Tax made it financially sensible to use less plastics, or plastics containing a decent amount of recycled content, supermarkets and their customers have been demanding change. Therefore, many of the new developments you will find covered in the next 24 pages of this feature are all designed to meet these demands. And these include new materials as well as the latest machinery on offer. Indeed, IFFA 2022, the major meat exhibition taking place in Frankfurt am Main this coming May (14-19) is putting climateneutral production high on the agenda as well as resource and energy management in meat processing. This includes water stewardship as well as packaging to suit everyone, including the growing number of flexitarians. RECYCLED MATERIAL GAINS Several PPMA members have been supplying materials to meet these new normal needs, including Sealed Air who has expanded its range of recycle-ready barrier display films to help improve recyclability throughout European supply chains. Meanwhile Hazel 4D describes its new 15-micron Nano film as a game changing product for pallet wrapping as its 30% recycled content can stretch to over 250% for users while Yorkshire Packaging Systems is now supplying Cranswick Country Foods with a new fully recyclable, recycled-content, food-safe barrier film.
Adapting to new normal Packaging requirements for proteins are under all kinds of scrutiny and a combination of machine technology with innovation in materials, is now playing a part. As can be seen in the photo of films supplied by Yorkshire Packaging Systems
In terms of machinery, the latest packaging solution from G Mondini is designed to deliver high quality skin packs with up to 50% less plastics. Downgauge is a new sealing technology the company has developed that can be applied to all new Trave tray sealers and some existing units (subject to evaluation of each specific machine). The company says this new development avoids the unnecessary usage of thick and heavy packaging materials without compromising on tray performance. Multivac says that in two major projects last year, its consultancy service – The Right Pack – has helped remove 417 tonnes of plastics out of use and a total of 2,957 tonnes of packaging
was moved to OPRL green label, both per year. And there were, of course, substantial financial gains to these moves. “These sort of mass gains for our customers can be made simple when you combine machine technology with material innovation and turn that into an action plan for individual sites,” says Multivac UK’s Elliot Chrisp. Tony Burgess, Proseals’s sales director believes the challenge is to develop pack formats that can deliver genuine sustainability benefits while remaining functional and fit for purpose, and which do not compromise on product protection and shelf life. Of course, this feature also includes many stories that help keep products fresh; safe; looking good and processed responsibly. Enjoy!
