Trend Toward Case-Ready Fresh Meats Grows Worldwide DENVER, CO Prepackaged fresh meat delivered to retailers and ready for immediate place ment in the meat case will be com monplace in the United States and European retail outlets within a few yet . However, don’t expect 'heU.S. to follow Europe’s lead by using the same method of case ready packaging. There are just too many differences between Ameri can and European consumer buy ing habits and retail meat delivery systems. That is the message Jim Bruce, group director for lamb marketing with the American Sheep Produc ers Council, delivered recently at CAP ’B7 in Chicago. Bruce, a lead ing authority on fresh meat pack aging, was formerly international market development manager for Cryovac, the packaging and equip ment division of W. R. Grace Company. CAP ’B7 was the Third Interna tional Conference on Controlled and Modified Atmosphere Vac uum Packaging, where discussions focused on the latest packaging technology and innovations for a variety of food products, including fresh meat. Bruce described some of the dif ferences between American and European consumer buying habits and meat distribution systems which affect packaging decisions. For example, European consumers shop daily, buy meat in small quantities and rarely freeze meat. Since shipping distances from cen tral packaging sites to retailers are shorter, European meat products have minimal shelf-life require ments and shipping costs are low. In comparison, meat in the U.S. is distributed nationwide which means packaging must be as eco nomical and conservative as possi ble to keep down costs. Since ship ping distances to the retailer may be extensive, longer product shelf life is important. About 75 percent of all fresh meat is frozen by U.S. consumers before use which adds requirements for greater packag ing protection. Product characteristics, includ ing the type of packaging to a great extent, appear to be driven by the motives of the organization intro ducing the concept. In Europe cen tral prepackaging is done by retail ers, while in the U.S. packers and processors are taking the lead. Europe’s case-ready packaging choice. Controlled Atmosphere Packaging (CAP), is a method of sealing fresh meat products in air tight plastic containers under con trolled temperatures. The contain ers are usually rectangular and air is replaced by gas before sealing. Generally, this is 50 percent oxy gen to retain the bright red color, 20 percent carbon dioxide to inhi bit spoilage and the remaining 30 percent comprised of oxygen, nit rogen or carbon dioxide. With CAP, meat maintains a natural bright red color and has a maxi mum shelf life of about six days. The CAP process requires a pack age twice as large as the product to allow sufficient head space for the gas. Meat packed in this method does not freeze well. Bruce says the CAP system is now the undisputed leader in Eur ope’s drive to central prepackag ing of fresh meat. CAP use in some European countries is growing rapidly and ranges as high as 40% of fresh meat sales. In Great Bri tain, for example, CAP packaging has risen from 10 to 23 percent of total retail meat packaging in the past 24 months. The primary alternative to CAP ■ a vacuum-packaging methpd which uses an oxygen impermeable bag or pouch. Air is removed from the package and the wrap hugs tightly around the meat. Vacuum packaging is the promi nent system used in the U.S. The airtight atmosphere created by vacuum packaging gives red meat products a purplish hue which returns to a natural red when the package is opened and the meat is exposed to oxygen. Vacuum packaging requires less display space, results in less packaging bulk which lowers shipping costs, and provides a shelf life of up to 21 days and freezer protection advantages for American distribu ters, retailers and consumers. CAP has one major advantage for both European and U.S. mark e*s; it maintains the color of meat in the cherry red hue that consum TOPICS 1988 Farm Legislation 1987 Test Plot Results Crop Insurance Chemical Recommendations Cultivation Tips DATE January 19,1988 January 20,1988 January 22,1988 January 25,1988 January 26,1988 January 27,1988 January 27,1988 January 28,1988 February 2,1988 February 3,1988 February 3,1988 February 4,1988 February 8,1988 February 8,1988 February 9,1988 February 11,1988 Milford, De./Harrlngton, De. ’lnvitation with Sweepstakes/Door Priza entry card will be mailed approximately two weeks prior to each meeting. If.you do not receive an invitation and would like to attend a meeting, or if it la Inconvenient to attend the meeting in your area, call the Milford, Delaware office at 1 -800-441 -2367 (Outside Delaware), or 302-422*3001. Must ba Prasant to win Door Priza or $500.00 Cash Sweepstakes THENEW ers associate with freshness. How ever, CAP translates to twice the bulk, twice as many trucks and twice as much cardboard for mas ter packaging of CAP than vacuum packaged primals or retail cuts. For regional distribution up to 200 miles CAP may prove acceptable but for national distribution it is a major cost disadvantage. The ultimate conclusion as to which central prepackaging form, or forms are successful in the U.S. market will clearly be influenced by who is launching the program introduction. If central prepackag ing continues to be driven by major U.S. meat packers then vacuum packaging appears to be the most likely choice, Bruce says. “It is now generally accepted in both meat and supermarket indus tries that centrally-prepacked. Milford Fertilizer Company 1988 GROWER SEMINARS OPEN TO ALL GROWERS* $5OO Cash Sweepstakes and Door Prizes - A Winner at Each Seminar AREA Rhodesdale, Md./Denton, Md. Oxford, Pa. Quarryvllle, Pa. Dagsboro, De./Pittsvllle, Md. Cordova, Md./Wye Mills, Md. Trappe, Md./Cambrldge, Md. Greensboro, Md. Sudlersville, Md./Kennedyviile, Md. Fawn Grove, Pa./Stewartstown, Pa. Brogue. Pa. Churchville, Md. Middletown, De./Clayton, De. Oaretown, NJ Swedesboro, NJ Vlncentown, NJ NORTHRUPKING branded meat will become com mon during the next ten years,” Bruce said. “This concept offers tremendous new opportunities for red meat sales in America, in gen eral, and particularly for American lamb which is currently unavail able in -many markets because of limited distribution.” The American Sheep Producers Council is currently participating in projects with major lamb pack- SEMINAR SCHEDULE (Lunch or Dinner Will be Served) ROPE IN SOME EXTRA CASH! Advertise With A Lancaster Farming CLASSIFIED AD.. Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 PLACE Hurlock Fire Hall, Hurlock, Md. Post House Restaurant, Oxford, Pa. 10:00 A.M. Hoffman Building, Quarryville, Pa. 10:00 A.M Solanco Fair Grounds Gumboro Fire Hall, Gumboro, De Bay Country Moose, Grasonville, Md. 6:30 P.M. Econo Lodge, Cambridge, Md. American Legion Hall, Denton, Md American Legion Hall, Chestertown, Md. 10:00 A.M Taylor House, Stewartstown, Pa, Rutter's Restaurant, Red Lion, Pa. 10:00 A.M Sheraton Inn, Aberdeen, Md. Townsend Fire Hall, Townsend, De. 10:00 A.M Grange Hall, Elmer, NJ Dutch Inn, Swedesboro, NJ Holiday Inn, Bordentown, NJ Carlisle Fire Hall, Milford, Oe. ers and processors that are deve loping and distributing their own case-ready and tray-ready Fresh American Lamb products. “With the increased availability of case ready lamb any retailer in the nation may soon be able to order the type of prepackaged cuts that they want to meet store and con sumer needs, including guaranteed shelf-life and consistent quality.” I TOPICS Credit programs Seed TIME 10:00 A.M 10:0Q_A.M 6:00 P.M 10:00 A.M 10:00 A.M 10:00 A.M 10:00 A.M THENEW NORTHRUPKING 6:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M, 4:00 P.M
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