Shelf life considerably improved by packaging

Packagingsare not just pretty or handy, they can also considerably increase a product’sshelf life. “It used to be that packaging was mainly intended to bundle andprotect a product. Now we’re seeing more attention to choosing the rightpackaging for the right product,” says Marcus Gillioen of FlexFilm. The foilsused most often for fruit and veg products are the flow-pack foils.

Flow-pack foils

Simplysaid, there are three categories within the flow-pack foils, Marcus explains:the simplest one is polypropylene foil, also available with anti-fog. Thenthere is the macro and micro perforated polypropylene foil, and finally thefoil for improved shelf life, which has both anti-fog and breathingcapabilities.

Perforation forventilation

Perforatedfoils are used for products like bell peppers and tomatoes. “This perforationis intended for ventilation, and to allow moisture to get away.” Depending onthe product, a micro or macro perforation is the best solution. “Macroperforation is cheaper than micro, but for some products, macro perforationdoesn’t suffice. French beans, for instance, fare better with a microperforation. Micro is a step further than macro. The foil is perforated in amachine with electrically heated needles.”

Comatose vegetables

A stepfurther than macro and micro perforated foils is a packaging in which theatmosphere inside the packaging is adjusted through laser technology. These areknown as Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). “We use this technique for ourSapFresh foil, which is based on years of research. We basically bring thevegetables in a sort of comatose condition,” Marcus explains. “All of theproduct’s natural functions are slowed down, which improves shelf life.” Thistechnique requires specific knowledge about the ideal conditions for theproduct.

“Spectacular results”

What ratiosare ideal for what product, is determined in a laboratory. Over the years, theideal ratio has been found for nearly every product, with a laboratory inFrance keeping a close eye on developments in the sector. New varieties, forinstance, are put under the microscope again, and the results are regularlyretested. The effects of the packaging on shelf life and the reduction of theamount of waste in supermarkets are “spectacular”. Marcus illustrates this withdata from a large Belgian retailer that uses the SapFresh packaging for itsBelgian endive. “Over a number of years, they conducted research, and comparedto the unpackaged Belgian endive they sold before, waste went down from 19percent to 1 percent, which is huge.”