Over the last two weeks I have had the pleasure of over-wrapping close to 300 steaks for two different retail display trials we are running. In fact I have gotten so good at this particular job, I feel I should be called Justine the Over-wrapping Queen, heck I would even settle for Justine the Over-Wrapping Machine. Regardless of this respectable title I have fauxly created for myself, through the weeks I have developed an appreciation for the way beef is packaged and sold here in the United States.
There are several ways beef is packaged however I am going to share with you the three most common packaging systems in retail. It is important to remember regardless of the advantages and disadvantages, all packaging systems provide a means to keep product safe from microbial contamination and allow consumers to visibly assess product quality.
In over-wrap systems steaks are fabricated from beef subprimals and placed on a styrofoam tray. A soaker sponge (or Meat Maxi as I like to call them) can be placed between the steak and tray to capture purge loss during display. It is important to understand purge loss is not "blood". It is the extrusion of sarcoplasm which is rich in Myoglobin, the protein responsible for meat color. Regardless of whether or not the Meat Maxi is present, trays are then over-wrapped with an oxygen permeable poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) film. This film, unlike Saran Wrap, allows oxygen to interact with Myogolobin promoting the development of a bright cherry red color, or "bloom". Over-wrap systems are the most economical way to package meat. For this reason, over-wrap systems are common in small grocery stores were personnel fabricate steaks on site. However, due to the permeability of the over-wrap, product will lose color integrity and turn brown within 3-5 days. Although brown colored beef is safe to eat, it is not eye appealing to consumers.
In over-wrap systems steaks are fabricated from beef subprimals and placed on a styrofoam tray. A soaker sponge (or Meat Maxi as I like to call them) can be placed between the steak and tray to capture purge loss during display. It is important to understand purge loss is not "blood". It is the extrusion of sarcoplasm which is rich in Myoglobin, the protein responsible for meat color. Regardless of whether or not the Meat Maxi is present, trays are then over-wrapped with an oxygen permeable poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) film. This film, unlike Saran Wrap, allows oxygen to interact with Myogolobin promoting the development of a bright cherry red color, or "bloom". Over-wrap systems are the most economical way to package meat. For this reason, over-wrap systems are common in small grocery stores were personnel fabricate steaks on site. However, due to the permeability of the over-wrap, product will lose color integrity and turn brown within 3-5 days. Although brown colored beef is safe to eat, it is not eye appealing to consumers.
Another type of packaging system is Modified Atmosphere Packaging (often called MAP because of the lengthy and lofty name). This type of packaging system is commonly used for ground beef. Product is placed in a well tray, with or without a Meat Maxi. There is enough "head space" within the package to modify the atmosphere (crazy, right??). At UNL, we use a mixture of 80% oxygen gas, and 20% carbon dioxide gas. This high concentration of oxygen allows the product to bloom. Where the addition of carbon dioxide provides antibacterial properties, and promotes blooming. Other gases used in MAP systems include: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen gas. Independent of the gases utilized, this packaging system is very attractive for consumers. It also allows retailers to create different label designs for different product. With this type of packaging system, expense is significantly higher, and shelf space is decreased due to the bulky package. MAP packaged products have an expected shelf life of 10-60 days, depending on the gases utilized.
The final way product is commonly packaged at retail is via vacuum packaging. This type of packaging system can be observed with the marinated pork tenderloins from Hormel. In beef products, vacuum packaging is not typically utilized at the retail setting. Often at the packing plant whole primals, such as the Ribeye Roll, are vacuum packaged and distributed to retailers for steak fabrication. Product is placed in a protective, impermeable bag and has all of the air sucked out via a vacuum. The open end of the bag is then sealed preventing exposure to oxygen. Because of the lack of oxygen, vacuum packaged beef is a purple color. For this reason, vacuum packaged beef is limited in retail settings; however, once the package is opened, product will bloom immediately. Vacuum packaging product provides a means for "wet-aging" product and does an astounding job at maintaining product integrity. Plus, running the vacuum sealer is pretty cool, ha!
Now that you have a basic understanding for meat packaging, take the time to check out packaging systems the next time you are at the grocery store, instead of just product quality. And remember, just like a book, you can never judge meat by it's package!
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