Feasibility of using linerless cartons for the storage and transport of meat and meat products

Red meat cuts are usually transported in cardboard cartons that have internal plastic bags (liners), which minimise microbial and physical contamination and ensure liquid from the meat does not damage the cardboard. However, sometimes these liners are damaged during freezing and the product can become contaminated.

This project assessed the possibility of using liner-less cartons for red meat products, which meant coating the cardboard with plastic instead of using a plastic liner. The liner-less cartons were evaluated regarding the chemical, physical and microbiological risks associated with storage and transport.

Compared to lined cartons, the liner-less cartons neither expose the meat products to any extra chemicals nor increase the level of biological contamination. Therefore, liner-less cartons appear to be a viable option to store and transport red meat from a meat safety point of view.

•    The plastic coating on the cartons complied with the expectations for plastics that are in contact with food and did not introduce more contamination to the meat products.
•    There was no significant difference between the amounts of microbial cells on liner-less cartons compared to lined-cartons.
•    The structural integrity of liner-less cartons during transport and storage was similar to lined-cartons.
•    Best practice guidelines and standard operating procedures for the use of liner-less cartons to store and transport red meat products were refined.