•FreshCase® technology is Curwood’s patented solution for packaging case-ready fresh meat.
•The films allow red meats to bloom to a fresh red color in an oxygen-free vacuum package as compared to ordinary vacuum packaging in which meat color changes to purple.
•The red color is achieved by extruding a tightly controlled amount of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) into the meat contact layer of the vacuum packaging.
•Sodium nitrite on the film surface comes in contact with naturally occurring meat enzymes and the nitrite is converted into nitric oxide (NO) gas.
•The NO is released into the meat and the gas combines with myoglobin in the meat to produce the fresh red color.
•The nitrite is not detectable in the meat due to conversion to nitric oxide.
•FreshCase® technology works well with fresh beef vacuum packaging formats, including forming/non-forming films and vacuum skin packaging. Chub packaging for ground beef also works well.
