Interest in hygienic machines and materials is high, particularly for handling ready-to-eat products. Materials and equipment for interleaving and stacking are no exception.

Tray packaging has been used for meat, poultry and seafood products for decades. Yet, even though it is well-established, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the status quo for the packaging type or style. New designs and technology are improving performance and eliminating the need for components such as absorbent pads, thereby streamlining the packaging operation and eliminating the cost of the pad and the risk of the product picking up fibers from the pads.

Retort packaging offers many benefits, including light weight, convenience, aesthetic appeal and hygiene.

Demand for microwavable packaging continues to expand at a healthy rate.

A popular packaging method inside and outside the meat, poultry and seafood industries, form-fill-seal machines rank as the fourth most active packaging machinery category, according to the PMMI State of the Industry U.S. Packaging Machinery Report 2017.

Processors of meat, poultry and seafood bring a long list of required features when shopping for equipment that weighs and labels packages.

Today's most advanced overwrappers consistently produce tightly wrapped packages at speeds up to 120 trays per minute; feature stainless steel, easy-to-clean construction; handle a range of tray sizes; change over in a few minutes; and are easy to set up, operate and troubleshoot.

Today's chub packaging simplifies handling for consumers and on the packaging line.

Demand for meat packaging in the United States stands at $5.1 billion and will grow steadily through 2021, predicts a report from The Freedonia Group, in Cleveland, Ohio.