Ready-to-Eat (RTE) packaged food has been prevalent in the developed world for years but it is gaining popularity in India only in recent years. The growing number of nuclear families and working women drives the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) and Ready-to-Cook (RTC) market in India. India has a large base of young consumers, who form majority of the country’s workforce. These young consumers rarely find the time or inclination for traditional cooking due to their busy lifestyles which further creates significant potential for ready-to-eat food products.
According to a recent report by research-based global management consulting firm TechSci Research, India's ready-to-eat (RTE) food market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.99% during 2014-19, in value terms. This type of food is becoming popular because it saves time and labour. It has extended shelf-life and is available off the market shelves – so demand grows at a healthy pace.
The advancements in food technology and packaging technology have made it possible to extend the shelf-life of these products. Before deciding which packaging material is to be used, manufacturers and packaging companies need to know the packaging requirements of the product i.e. what hazards will cause product deterioration and the conditions to which the packaged product will be subjected throughout its shelf-life.
In India, 3-ply laminate consisting of PET/Al Foil/PP is commonly used for packaging of RTE packed food. The product packed in such laminates has a shelf-life of one year. For ready-to-eat food packaging, Nichrome’s Horizontal Form Fill Seal Machine offers multiple filler options. Nichrome’s Pick-Fill-Seal machines present an advanced variant of packaging technology that enables 2 or 3 different fillers to dispense multiple types of ingredients in the same pouch. The machines conveniently pack a wide variety of ready-to-eat foods in eye-catching innovative shapes while maintaining freshness of the products.
A cost-effective solution with multiple filler options like Visco Filler, Servo Auger Filler, Volumetric Cup Filler, Multi-Head Weighers, Indexing Type Bucket Conveyor, etc., Nichrome’s Pick-Fill-Seal machine facilitates ready to cook packaging for products such as Palak Paneer, Dal Makhani, Butter Chicken, Biryani, Gravies, Matar Paneer, Punjabi Chhole, Punjabi Kadhi, Rajma Masala, etc. Other applications include Ginger Garlic Paste, Ketchup, Sauces, Ghee, Vegetable seeds, Instant mixes, Nutraceuticals, Namkeen and even liquids such as milk, juice, lassi, oil, etc.
Another trend in packaged food are sealed pre-formed trays for instant food packaging of biryani or products such as sweets, namkeens, chopped vegetables, raw meats, diced fruits, etc. Making its mark in this application is Athena Automatic Tray Sealer by Tecnovac of Italy, brought to India by Nichrome. Athena is capable of packaging in modified atmosphere, any combination of compatible trays and top film studied for such applications.
Using pre-formed trays, Athena is able to seal, pack in a protective atmosphere (vacuum + gas) or with ‘skin effect’ all types of trays or jars. Due to its strong stainless steel structure and easy maintenance, Athena is ideal for use in small and medium sized companies. Applications include cut vegetables & fruits, meats, fish, ready-to-eat meals, snacks, etc. With these features and its speed of up to 60 trays per minute, Athena finds easy acceptance among India’s ready-to-eat food manufacturers.
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