It’s no secret that consumer demand for new and exciting flavors continues to grow. And in the ongoing effort to keep up with these changing tastes while maintaining efficiency, processors have embraced newly available ways to add these flavors to their production lines, such as seasoning transfer casings. These preseasoned casings eliminated the problems of manual spice application for many processors, such as mess and waste, and made it possible to expand their brand by adding new flavors quickly.

But what about meat and poultry products that are not cooked in a casing — such as whole muscle meats, bacon, or even meats that are shipped raw like individual chicken breasts or steaks? Other than manual spice application, are there any seasoning options available for use on production lines to add flavors to these products without slowing down the line?

One possible solution is incorporating seasoning transfer sheets. Individual seasoning transfer sheets can conform to different shapes and sizes of food. At the same time, they allow precise application of a consistent and uniform mix of spice and can work well on a variety of different packaging lines. Once applied to the surface of the meat, the seasoning transfer process begins. If the meat is cooked, stripped, and repackaged, the sheet is simply removed before cooking and repackaging. And if the meat or poultry is packaged raw for the consumer, the seasoning sheet remains within the final packaging. When opened, the now-clean seasoning sheet sticks to the packaging. The seasoning work is done, and consumers will notice the seasoned meat, not the seasoning sheet.

Seasoned bacon is an ideal application and example of this process. Adding a seasoning transfer sheet before final packaging requires only the addition of a single step on the packaging line. Later, when the consumer removes the outer packaging, the clear plastic seasoning sheet clings to the outer packaging, so the consumer is left with spice-coated bacon, and does not have to remove the seasoning transfer sheet separately.

Because shingled bacon is generally flat and rectangular, the flat seasoning sheets naturally conform to the product. But what about meat products that are not so uniform, flat, or symmetrical in shape, or that are packaged on a different type of line?

In situations such as these, custom-cut seasoning transfer sheets are the perfect solution. Cut to conform to the inside of a thermoforming pocket, custom cut sheets can be added as a single step during packaging, designed to be removed by the consumer when the product is opened. For raw products, the seasoning sheets also can function as a way to marinate to the product to provide added flavor.

With the many different configurations and designs of packaging lines in operation today, seasoning transfer technologies aren’t always one-size-fits-all solutions, but they are versatile and customizable options which makes them efficient, effective seasoning solutions nonetheless. That is a big reason Flavorseal continues to develop new ways to add and transfer flavor to products processed on a variety of production lines. Talk to a Flavorseal representative to determine what seasoning transfer options may work best for you.

For additional details on how innovations like Flavorseal’s seasoning transfer technologies can reduce processing costs and address rising customer demands, request our free guide: