2004 Food Engineering: Download

HighBeam Research

Title: Reclosable retort pouch for seafood makes U.S. debut.(Food Packaging Materials & Containers)

Date: August 1, 2004 Publication: Food Engineering Author: Martin, Kathryn

Fish and seafood packaged in retort pouches have been on the market for some time. However, none of these pouches were resealable, because of the difficulty developing a reclosable zipper that could withstand the extreme temperatures of the retort process. Now that challenge has been overcome by Pyramid Flexible Packaging, in alliance with zipper producer Presto Products, which has developed a reclosable retort pouch for Blue Star Food Products' six varieties of crabmeat.

Pyramid's one-pound Zip'n Store pouch hit Miami, FL-based Blue Star's national food service accounts, local supermarket chains and club stores nationwide this June. Blue Star claims it is the first national brand to bring reclosable retort packaging to the U.S. The four-ply foil retort laminate pouch is produced at Pyramid's converting facility in Korea. Currently, the packages for Blue Star's crabmeat products have a 12-month refrigerated shelf life. According to Dean Hoss, president, Pyramid Flexible Packaging, the heat-resistant Zip'n Store retort package can also be used in the microwave and as a boil-in bag for cooking and reheating food products inside the package.

The reclosable retort pouches are available in a three-side seal, stand-up, die-cut handle, and contoured shape pre-made pouch format.

Presto Products' new Fresh-Lock reclosable retort zippers are composed of retort-grade cast polypropylene and are designed for retort and other high-temperature packaging applications. According to Presto, new equipment is not required to use the zippers because they are easily incorporated into form-fill-seal equipment currently being used for zipper applications.

The new resealable retort pouch provides numerous advantages to Blue Star. "This technology lets us capitalize on our product being closer to fresh-picked crabmeat versus the old industry standard--canned pasteurized crabmeat," says Steve Harmell, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Blue Star.

Blue Star developed its own pasteurizing process which uses lower temperatures and less retort time to help produce fresher tasting crabmeat in a pouch. "There have been frozen seafood packers using pouches for a while," notes Harmell. "There are canned tuna companies now using the same technology, but for a 'sterilized' product, not pasteurized. We were the first--and the first with a resealable package"

While the convenience of a reclosable pouch appeals to consumers, Harmell points out that the advantages of using pouch packaging versus traditional glass or metal containers for its seafood are mainly to do with taste, including what he says is a better taste in the pouch, versus the "tinny flavor" from pasteurizing in cans.

For more information: Dean Hoss, Pyramid Flexible Packaging, deanh@pyramidglobal.com, 800-261-0334 Write in 433 Thomas A. Winter, Presto Products, tom.winter@alcoa.com, 920-738-1747 Write in 434 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

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