“The shelf-life stability can be extended for over a week in refrigerated storage,” says Hettiarachchy. “The edible films form a barrier against the food product and the environment, while the antimicrobial plant extracts in the film either inhibit the growth or kill the pathogens.”
A natural protein flavor coating system, developed by Flavex Protein Ingredients, a division of The Arnhem Group, Cranford, NJ, extends the shelf life of fresh and cooked meat, poultry and fish products. It creates a barrier to oxygen, resulting in products with reduced oxidation and reduced color deterioration. Microbial loads can be reduced by incorporation of natural microbials or specialty meat bacteriocides. According to company literature, these products are USDA-approved for use in any uncooked or cooked standard or non-standard meat or poultry product where flavorings are permitted.
Packaging technology can also extend shelf life. Hefestus, Caesarea Industrial Park, Israel, offers “shelf-life booster” sealing packaging machines that reportedly enable manufacturers to pack fresh meat and poultry with residual oxygen of less than 0.4%.
Worldwide, companies are striving to meet consumers’ demands for natural, fresh-tasting products. New technologies are continually developed to extend shelf life to support both distribution channels and increasingly infrequent grocery shopping. Hopefully, the government will soon come together to agree on clear labeling definitions that will benefit both consumers and the industry.
Cindy Hazen, a 20-year veteran of the food industry, is a freelance writer based in Memphis, TN. She can be reached at
cindyhazen@cs.com.