Review of centralized packaging systems for distribution of retail-ready meat

There is growing interest in centralized preparation of retail-ready meat c uts for distribution to widely dispersed retail stores due to the convenien ce of having high-quality ready-to-go products that are consistently provid ed to consumers at lower cost. Various centralized packaging techniques are described. Of all packaging techniques, master packaging is the most econo mical and shows promise for commercial application. Nevertheless, the maste r-packaging technique must be integrated with strict temperature control in a narrow range just above freezing (-1.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C), good processi ng hygiene, and maintenance of a completely anoxic atmosphere in the packag e headspace throughout the distribution period to maximize storage life. Pa ckaging using the CAPTECH process reduces the residual O-2 present in the h eadspace to 300 ppm. Oxygen scavengers must be incorporated in the package to absorb the residual O-2 and preserve the metmyoglobin reducing activity of meat tissues. Integration of all these technologies can provide a storag e life of retail-ready meat up to 10 weeks in the master package followed b y 3 days of retail display life. This extension of storage life is sufficie nt for transporting meat to distant markets.