Maximum product protection, extended shelf life, attractive design, efficient processability and, last but not least, positive effects along the entire supply chain: sound expertise is required for the safe, economical and resource-efficient packaging of fish and seafood. SÜDPACK is a supplier with this kind of expertise. With SKINPro and Multifol Extreme, the renowned German film specialist has two product families in its range that meet the special requirements of highly perishable, sensitive foods and offer advantages in several respects.
Packaging fresh salmon fillets, tuna pieces, whole sea bream, smoked trout, shelled crayfish, sharp-edged mussels or even prawn skewers is part of everyday life, but it is by no means trivial. This is because sensitive surfaces, irregular geometries, sharp edges and moisture must be taken into account, as must short shelf lives and high standards of hygiene and food safety. Especially in the seafood segment, where these aspects can quickly lead to increased loss rates, packaging becomes an effective lever for profitability and competitiveness – and ultimately also for reducing food waste.
Everything that sensitive fish needs
Fish therefore requires high-performance films that can be efficiently processed into safe packaging solutions and that also convince consumers in terms of convenience. Skin, MAP and vacuum packaging are considered key technologies in the industry. But no matter what you choose, all concepts must have high sealability even in the event of contamination, remain puncture-resistant with heavy or sharp-edged products, extend shelf life through integrated barrier functions, and, ideally, use as little material as possible.
SÜDPACK has developed SKINPro, an innovative and attractive packaging system for vacuum skin packaging, especially for prawn skewers, salmon fillets or whole fish, which is characterised by the perfect interaction of high-performance skin top film and matching bottom film. The thin top film adapts to the respective product like a second skin and easily copes with even high product protrusions, sharp or pointed contours and extreme undercuts. The package contents are fixed to the bottom film, preventing sap flow, enabling the package to be presented lying down, standing up or hanging at the point of sale and, above all, extending the shelf life of the food by removing oxygen, ensuring a secure seal and providing product-specific barrier functions. As a ‘counterpart’, SÜDPACK offers a portfolio of PE, PP and APET-based bottom films that are specially designed to meet the requirements of SKINPro top films and seal reliably. This also includes bottom films made from the corresponding mono-materials that meet the requirements for recyclability. The material structures from the SKINPro range run efficiently and stably on skin packaging machines.
Thanks to its premium appearance and outstanding convenience, the packaging system also impresses at the point of sale: the optimised transparency and improved gloss of the wrinkle-free top film ensure maximum visibility, optimum freshness and a high-quality product appearance. The positive consumer experience is underlined by clean, even and easy opening.
High performance for extreme packaging applications
The proven Multifol Extreme soft film is further proof of the perfect combination of maximum functionality and minimum weight. Thanks to its outstanding sealing performance and high puncture resistance, this product family from SÜDPACK is an ideal choice for MAP or vacuum packaging of fatty, protein-rich or sharp-edged products such as fresh salmon fillets, white fish or herring portions, as well as frozen goods.
In addition, the film scores with a weight reduction of around 30% compared to conventional PA/PE structures, which also has a positive impact along the entire logistics chain. Specifically, without compromising product protection, a conventional thermoforming film with a thickness of 200 µm can be replaced with Multifol Extreme, which is only 150 µm thick. Combining the Multifol Extreme base film with a lid film from the same product family allows for further material savings. Despite the thinness of the material, the sensitive food in the package remains optimally protected.
Another advantage is that the packaging concept also excels in terms of process technology, offering outstanding thermoforming properties with a large thermoforming depth and good processability on standard thermoforming packaging machines.