The proper storage of fish products requires professional, high-quality fish packaging. Fish is a food that is particularly complex to manage, mainly because it is highly perishable.
Therefore, a great deal of attention needs to be paid to packaging fish in order to preserve its organoleptic properties. Let’s see some of best fish packaging solutions to preserve the food and enhance the product.
Packaging for fresh fish
Fresh fish packaging must preserve the product’s nutritional and organoleptic properties and prolong its shelf life. Unlike frozen fish packaging, which is kept at a temperature of -18°C, fresh fish packaging is exposed to temperatures between 0 and 2°C.
In order to ensure the highest levels of food safety and increase the shelf life, fish must always be kept in the cold chain. This is a system that constantly maintains a controlled temperature in order to limit the proliferation of bacteria and preserve the product’s properties.
Therefore, with fish, it’s important to choose packaging with an adequate barrier effect against oxygen, light, moisture and microorganisms. The packaging must also facilitate transport, storage and the display of the product in shops, as well as being appealing and informative for consumers.
How to guarantee freshness and quality
In order to guarantee the freshness and quality of fish, it’s important to choose the right packaging. One effective solution is flexible packaging, such as flexible pouches and bags made from plastic materials that efficiently preserve fresh or frozen fish.
In some cases, it’s also possible to use multi-layer laminated films to provide a better barrier and protect the packaging from abrasion and holes. One type of plastic food packaging that is suitable for fish products is skin packs, an ideal system for packing under vacuum to extend the product’s shelf life.
Skin packaging consists in a plastic or cardboard tray or dish over which a special protective plastic film is applied (the skin). The skin is molded to adapt to the shape of the product, combining the plastic protective film and the base to ensure a strong barrier effect against external agents.
In order to reduce the environmental impact of fish packaging, there are two strategies that can be adopted. The first is to optimize the packaging, for example by reducing the weight in order to use less material. The second is to choose eco-friendly food packaging for fish, considering structures like high-barrier polyester (mono APET), Mater-Bi or PLA packaging.
Tips about packaging fish
Fish is a key part of the Mediterranean diet, but a series of specific measures must be taken to preserve it correctly and prolong its shelf life. First of all, it requires packaging that is practical and easy for consumers to use, for example with a base that allows it to be defrosted in the oven and microwave or cooked in the oven.
Secondly, it’s important to pay attention to the sustainability of the packaging. There is growing demand from consumers for eco-friendly packaging. That’s why it’s important to consider using packaging made with recyclable materials, or compostable or biodegradable packaging.
Plus, regular fish eaters pay close attention to the quality of the product, so it’s essential to ensure that fresh or frozen fish is perfectly preserved. It’s also necessary to provide all mandatory information to consumers on the food label, including useful additional instructions , and customize the packaging with captivating graphics that promote the quality of the food.
Volmar Packaging offers high-quality products for the packaging of fresh and frozen fish, with professional solutions to meet all fish companies’ needs. We supply vacuum packaging or protective atmosphere packaging, such as vacuum bags with a three-side seal structure and flexible films, laminates and COEX.
We also offer packaging with a low environmental impact for the eco-friendly packaging of fish products, in order to reduce the carbon footprint of food without compromising its shelf life and perfectly preserve the product. There is also a wide range of innovative packaging solutions for fish, such as skin packaging, which maintains the quality and freshness, while allowing for full customization of the packaging.