As part of a new sales agreement with Paper Pak Industries (PPI), Faerch Plast – a producer of plastic containers for the food industry – is now offering a new type of absorber for use in its trays for fresh meat and fish.

The PPI UltraZap XtendaPak, placed underneath the packaged meat, limits bacteria growth while enabling the fresh product to better retain its juices. This helps extend shelf life by one or two days and keeps the meat attractive right up to the expiry date.

"The special feature of this new absorber is that it is activated when the packaged meat begins releasing juices on about the third day," says Joe Iannidinardo, managing director of Faerch Plasts UK operation. "The absorber then slowly emits CO₂ over several days, keeping the bacteria level low and improving the meats ability to retains its juices. This not only keeps the meat itself fresh, but also fresh in appearance, right up to the expiry date."

Extensive testing in the laboratory and by customers has shown that this reduction in bacterial formulation can extend shelf life by one or two days for fresh meat, and possibly even longer for fish – provided, of course, that the meats initial quality, product flow and cold chain are up to standard.

This significant extension could have an important impact on the amount of meat thrown away. Figures from the Institute of Food and Resource Economics show that retail stores in Denmark discard approximately 2,000 tons of meat annually, at a value of approximately DKK 73m (£8.2m).

Iannidinardo concludes "It is great news that we can now offer our customers trays with a PPI absorber. This provides a number of benefits for producers and retailers, and we have a strong expectation that the absorber will reduce wastage and extend shelf life, which is a major focus area for retailers at the moment."