- Background
- What we're looking for
- What we can offer you
- Q&A
High-acid ready-to-eat (RTE) meals are designed to deliver long shelf life, safety, and superior product quality. These meals reach a final pH below 4.5 and undergo in-package pasteurization.
To support these products, suitable packaging (flexible, semi-rigid or rigid) should not only withstand the intended thermal process at 90-130 °C, but also actively contribute to shelf-life extension through advanced packaging science. Features such as antimicrobial surfaces, oxygen and moisture control, and barrier innovations have the potential to enable 6–24 months of shelf life at ambient conditions while maintaining seal integrity and appearance.
We invite innovators to collaborate on solutions that combine robust performance, food safety compliance, and consumer appeal, enabling next-generation RTE meals that meet market expectations for convenience and quality.
We are looking for commercially viable pouches, films, or trays (mono- or multi-layer) that are chemically and mechanically robust under high-acid and thermal conditions (temperatures of 90~130 °C), and extend shelf life through active or passive mechanisms without compromising sensory quality or regulatory compliance.
- Flexible, semi-rigid/ rigid materials that integrate active components, ex: oxygen scavengers, antimicrobial additives, or others for ambient storage.
- Solutions that offer high-barrier passive structures, functional coatings, or others.
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Evidence that packaging or technology withstands low-pH products and maintains performance after thermal processing between 90-130 °C.
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Demonstrated seal integrity and barrier stability pre/post processing; no delamination or brittleness (for component or material-level solutions, evidence should address performance at the intended layer or interface)
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Food-contact regulatory documentation for EU and NA markets
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Data or a scientifically supported development plan showing the potential to enable ambient shelf life > 6 months (target 12-24 months) with no undesirable sensory effects
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Transparent packaging that provides full product visibility
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Recyclable or lower-carbon footprint options
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Features that help maintain product color and texture during distribution
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Rigid glass or metal packaging
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Cold-chain dependent solutions
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Approaches relying on synthetic preservatives
The Q&A is now closed.
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