This organization is seeking processing and/or packaging technologies that allow frozen food and meals to be heated and eaten as opposed to needing to be cooked from frozen. This will allow customers flexibility to store the product chilled or frozen.
Processing solutions will have minimal thermal, texture or flavor impact alongside no contamination risk.
Packaging solutions should solve key challenges including (but not limited to) moisture management of defrosting products, odor release, and oxygen effects on chilled products.
Considerations
- All solutions should maintain the texture and freshness of the product.
- Packaging solutions must be recyclable and must not damage/alter products in either frozen or chilled.
- Processes will have minimum thermal/texture/flavor damage or contamination risk for products. Technologies that eliminate bacterial, viral or protozoan pathogens from uncooked food will be considered.
- All stages of development will be considered however preference is for solutions with a working prototype at a minimum moving towards commercially available.
- Non-food grade solutions will not be considered.
Possible Solution Areas
- PEF
- Water absorption
- Modified atmospheric packaging
Desired outcome of the project
Open to discussions however partnering with a solution provider with a prototype or commercial technology would be preferable.
Field of use and intended applications
Identification of novel processing and packaging solutions for ready to eat products.