Quick Tips to Extend Shelf Life With Packaging

AND packaging is the next and VERY CRUCIAL step you can use to increase shelf life that will help you avoid using chemical preservatives in your food.

1)    ELIMINATE OXYGEN WITH PACKAGING –

a.     GAS FLUSHING – #Freshfoods, like salads and other things that can kind of go bad quickly but by removing oxygen with nitrogen gas flushing you can help products stay fresh. You will need a co-packer with this capability PLUS nonporous plastic packaging. Then they co-packer will remove oxygen by filling packaging with nitrogen before it’s sealed so the product doesn’t corrupt.

b.     REMOVING OXYGEN – Number two, you use something like a Cryovac, which sucks out the oxygen and makes the plastic flexible film shrink around the product you have. You’ll see that in tight clear plastic packaging applications especially in deli!! That’s because of the plastic and the way that you encase the product, you can suck all the oxygen out of there so there isn’t enough for microbes to live off of so it doesn’t actually go bad quick.

And the good news is you can do a flexible or semi-rigid version of that. Think string cheese easy peels and deli meat easy peals!

c.     SMALLER PACK SIZES – Another simple way to make an impact here is… case pack sizes! Think #foodservice for restaurants or #bulkpacks for club store servicing families. Big sizes mean you open it and must use it immediately before the product will be exposed to moisture and oxygen and start to go bad.

First-hand experience you can think of is that bag of kettle corn or chips you open but don’t finish… they go stale and don’t taste as good after a few days. There is so much pressure to eat the whole thing! Creating smaller serving sizes allows the consumer to be in control of when the product goes bad.

When it comes to foodservice, as a great example, I’ve made frozen appetizers in large cases, and we had plastic bags that you’d have to break open to be able to get into that. These are stored in the freezer, and you buy huge amounts of them, and you serve them at some hotel or restaurant. An employee who’s rushed, who wants to do the right thing but doesn’t have the time, goes in, opens the bag, and loosely ties it back up. Then the product ends up being exposed to the oxygen in the freezer and starts tasting funny or drying out completely.

By adding individual wrapping around each tray or bag, we’re able to ensure things don’t go bad so much because they’re smaller serving sizes that are exposed to air. That means additional packaging and a little bit of additional labor, which can be frustrating. Or you just need to improve your packaging strategy for the final product. But it makes a huge difference for the person who bought it to be able to enjoy it. Therefore, you get better repeat purchases. So, pack size can help!

2)    ELIMINATE LIGHT WITH PACKAGING –

a.     NON-TRANSLUCENT– Light also can alter your product – breaking down the most delicate scents and flavors. Light, as wonderful as it is to bask in, can also corrupt products. Having something that either has different layers within the plastic, like a metalized barrier can make a huge difference to eliminate lights powerful rays.

It’s really simple to do. It’s very affordable. This includes darker glass, labeling, using a label or sleeve strategically placed OR more importantly choosing non-translucent packaging OR multi-layered packaging like metalized plastic.

Plus they have recyclable versions of that (as well as biodegradable versions – which are way more expensive, which is why they’re not so much on the market). But these options are available, and really easy to use, and can add shelf life to your product.

3)    HPP and HOT FILL CAPABABLE

a.     HOT FILLING – The other ways to use packaging to get shelf life ALSO rely on your co-packer or a local HPP facility.

Hot fill can be done with glass or tough temperature resistant plastics – you heat the product to a high enough temperature that sterilizes the product and bottle. This process not only DOESN’T use chemicals… it also preserves nutrients and flavors in the product.

But it takes specific types of heat-resistant packaging! So ask your co-packer their requirements.

b.     HPP – This is one of the oddest ways of pasteurizing and preserving shelf life to non-experienced food people. It’s a method of sterilizing products inside a tightly closed container with even/smooth product inside – placed inside a machine with water where they apply TONS of pressure similar to being on the bottom of the ocean… to kill bacteria! 43,500-87,000ps! This process kills the bad bacteria and doesn’t really impact the appearance, nutritional values, or appearance. This is often used in solid foods like deli meats, cheeses, dips, and beverages!

These are the most essential ways that packaging can make a difference in your shelf life! Now that you’re informed may you be better able to ask questions with your co-packer OR packaging supplier – may your shelf life belong!