Confinement odour and blood drip in vacuum packed meats are a main cause of complaints for supermarkets, especially on export meats such as beef and lamb.
Krehalon’s newly developed SSL™ Plus technology takes Secondary Seal (SSL™) to the next level by reducing confinement odour and introducing fat adhesion properties that improve blood drip control and enhance product presentation of vacuum-packed meats over extended shelf life
SSL™ Plus uses special sealant materials to allow the inner packaging layers to fuse together through the normal production processes of vacuum packing and hot water shrinkage.
In order to prove the odour reduction and shelf life benefits of SSL™ Plus, Krehalon initiated an independent study in association with Campden BRI which focused on fresh lamb applications, comparing SSL™ Plus performance versus that of standard shrink bags.
Testing was carried out on 700 lamb legs packed in Krehalon’s SSL™ Plus in order to determine potential shelf life extension, blood drip loss and confinement odour reduction benefits over standard sealing shrink bags.
Products were stored at 0°-3°C for 28 days and then split into ‘Commercial’ and ‘Retail’ temperature abuse trials. Details of the full case study can be found below.
Independent study results
SSL™ Plus proved significant odour reduction compared to standard bags over shelf life.
SSL™ Plus reduced confinement (gamey and stale blood) odour associated with long-life vacuum-packed meats (refer to case study document for details on the sensory analysis).
SSL™ Plus improved visual appearance of the lamb legs at end of life through:
- Reduction in unsightly blood pools within the bag
- Visual ‘whiteness’ of product fat with no blood discolouration
- No relaxation of the bag, retaining tight and ‘plump’ product shape of product over shelf life.
SSL™ Plus offered potential for shelf life extension.
This study proved that there are higher levels of bacteria in the meat blood compared to the meat surface, due to more nutrients being readily available in the blood for growth. As such, it is believed that by controlling blood movements within the pack, SSL™ Plus is able to reduce overall bacteria counts and delay meat spoilage.
SSL™ Plus packs showed:
- Reduced blood seepage after 28 days
- Controlled blood movement to cut meat surface area
- Limited blood in bag ears due to Secondary Seal
- No blood movement across the fat surface
Thinner but stronger
- SSL™ Plus offers higher puncture resistance, allowing the use of thinner materials
Krehalon are manufacturers and distributors of high quality shrink barrier films, bags and casings to the fresh food industry. Our depth of experience in shrink packaging is unrivalled, enabling us to deliver innovative and automated product presentation solutions that help our customers maximise shelf life and visual appeal. We focus on sustainable, operational efficiencies and long-term commercial gains for our customers.
