PerfoTec is showing promising results with a new recyclable film specifically tailored for the packaging of sliced iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce.
Specialists in the produce know that sliced iceberg lettuce is one of the most difficult products to pack. The ideal atmosphere in the packaging is a difficult process, because if the oxygen level is too low, iceberg lettuce becomes anaerobic, and if the oxygen level is too high, pinking occurs quickly. Pinking is a major quality defect for retailers and food service companies to reject, and most packers have problems with controlling the atmosphere. Especially seasonal changes, import vs local production, or somewhat older product vs a fresher product always gives every iceberg lettuce packer headache in achieving the optimum atmosphere.
Test with Romain lettuce
Most packers of iceberg lettuce now use OPP/PE laminates or co-extruded PE films. PerfoTec has now developed a recyclable film that is 50% thinner than the commonly used films. This plastic reduction is a huge improvement and a massive cost reduction. The new film of PerfoTec has specific water vapor and O2/CO2 permeability specifications to keep the sliced iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce fresh for extra days with fewer pinking risks. The new film properties also show that flushing with costly CO2 gas is not needed anymore.
PerfoTec is the partner for many packaging in their efforts to extend the shelf life and quality of packaged fruit and vegetables. The experienced post-harvest team of PerfoTec advises packers on how to reach that optimum for each packed fresh produce items. The entire product portfolio of PerfoTec is based on optimizing the gas composition in the packaging, which keeps the product longer and fresh and slows down the aging process. PerfoTec advises which (combination of) equipment can be used under which conditions, as every produce needs its own adjustments.
The combination of PerfoTec's patented Respiration System, the patented gas flush system of PerfoTec, and the newly developed recyclable film is a gamechanger for each sliced iceberg lettuce packer in their struggle to keep sliced iceberg lettuce fresh with fewer quality risks. Under stable temperature conditions, PerfoTec has kept sliced iceberg lettuce fresh with no pinking up to day 9-10, and various pilots are still running. This is already an improvement with current packaging film when pinking can usually occur on day 6 or 7, whereby the used standard film is also twice as thick as PerfoTec's new film.
Although the development of this new recyclable film for iceberg lettuce is still in the final phase of development, the results are so stable that PerfoTec is on the edge of commercial introduction. For the early birds, PerfoTec has enough film in stock to test, they get priority with the commercial introduction.
Visit PerfoTec in Berlin Hall 1.1, Stand B-33
For more information:
Kim Jensen
PerfoTec BV
Klompenmakersweg 16
3449 JB Woerden
Tel.: + 45 5189 1474
kim@perfotec.com
www.perfotec.com