Unifresh® Vacuum Skin Packaging Technology | Utien Pack

Vacuum skin packaging is widely used for products that require reliable freshness protection, a stable position, and an attractive retail presentation. Its applications cover meat products, dairy products, seafood, and many other premium foods.

Among these categories, meat is currently the most mature market for vacuum skin packaging. Steaks, fresh cuts, bone in meat, processed meat, and premium portions have clear requirements for juice retention, product stability, and visual display. However, meat is not the only product category that can benefit from this technology.

To meet the packaging requirements of high and irregular products, Utien Pack developed its patented Unifresh® skin packaging technology or skin pack with protrusion. It can provide a reliable solution for premium meat, cheese, fish, shellfish, and other products with greater height.

What Is Unifresh® Vacuum Skin Packaging?

Vacuum skin packaging uses a special top film that is heated and placed over the product under vacuum. The film closely follows the product shape and seals to the bottom film, rigid support, or paperboard around it. The finished film fits the product like a second skin.

Unifresh® takes this packaging format further by allowing 50mm protrusions out of the tray. It is especially suitable for large portions, thick products, irregular shapes, and products that require a close and stable fit.

Through precise control of film heating, vacuum, sealing temperature, pressure, and packaging time, the system helps the film extend evenly across the product surface. It can reduce visible cavities, wrinkles, and gaps while keeping the product securely fixed inside the package.

Meat Is the Most Mature Application Market

Meat packaging is one of the earliest and most established applications of vacuum skin technology. Fresh meat products often have high value, visible natural texture, and strict requirements for freshness, juice retention, transportation, and retail presentation.

Vacuum skin packaging holds the meat firmly against the bottom material. This helps reduce movement and visible liquid while clearly presenting the color, marbling, thickness, and natural shape of the product.

The technology is widely used for steaks, beef cuts, lamb, pork, poultry, bone in meat, cooked meat, and other processed meat products. It is particularly valuable for premium products that need to maintain both packaging stability and a strong visual appearance throughout distribution and retail display.

Designed for Thick Cut Steaks

Most steaks on the market are from 15 mm to 25 mm thick, while premium thick cut steaks may reach from 30 mm to 50 mm. Tomahawk steaks and other large bone in cuts may also have raised areas, sharp bones, and irregular shapes.

These products place greater demands on film extension, temperature control, vacuum performance, and sealing stability. If the film does not extend evenly, wrinkles, loose areas, or air pockets may appear. Sharp bones and uneven edges may also increase the risk of film damage.

Unifresh® skin packaging technology is designed to address these challenges. It can closely fit steak products with raised areas of 50 mm. Even for steaks from 30 mm to 50 mm thick, the film can follow the surface and edges closely, creating a stable package with no obvious cavities, wrinkles, or gaps.

The close fit highlights the thickness, marbling, and premium quality of the steak while helping retain natural juices and reduce product movement.

Better Freshness and Juice Retention

Close contact between the film and product reduces the space in which air and liquid can move. For meat products, this helps retain natural juices, control visible purge, and maintain a clean package appearance.

When combined with suitable barrier films, hygienic processing, and reliable cold chain control, vacuum skin packaging can also help reduce exposure to oxygen, slow quality deterioration, and extend product shelf life.

The same advantages are valuable for dairy products and seafood. Cheese portions can be held securely while maintaining their shape and surface quality. Fish fillets and seafood products can be stabilized to reduce movement, liquid spread, and damage during transportation.

Applications Beyond Meat

Although meat is the most mature application, Unifresh® technology is not limited to meat products.

For dairy products, it can be used for cheese blocks, cheese wedges, sliced cheese, and other premium products. The close film fit protects the product surface, reduces movement, and provides clear product visibility.

For seafood, it is suitable for fish fillets, salmon portions, shrimp, lobster, shellfish, and other products with delicate or irregular shapes. The skin film helps hold the product securely, control visible liquid, and reduce damage during distribution.

For ready meals, Unifresh® skin packaging technology can closely fix food portions in their intended positions, helping prevent ingredients from shifting or mixing during handling and transportation. When combined with suitable barrier films, hygienic processing, and reliable cold chain control, it can also help slow quality deterioration and extend product shelf life.

Packaging settings can be customized according to product height, shape, surface condition, film structure, storage requirements, and target output. This allows one technology platform to serve different food categories and production needs.

Stronger Protection and Better Presentation

Products may shift inside conventional packaging during handling and transportation. Movement can affect product position, package appearance, and seal integrity.

Unifresh® vacuum skin packaging fixes the product firmly to the bottom material. The package can remain stable during stacking, transportation, and vertical display. This is valuable for supermarkets, premium food stores, restaurants, online retailers, and export markets.

Clear skin film also provides excellent visibility. Consumers can directly see the product shape, texture, thickness, and quality. Paperboard can be used as the bottom support to provide more space for branding, product information, cooking guidance, and sustainability communication.

Complete Packaging Solutions from Utien Pack

Utien Pack has provided complete Unifresh® packaging solutions for leading food processors. In the meat sector, these solutions cover products from standard 15 mm steak cuts to 50 mm thick tomahawk steaks. The same technology platform can also be configured for cheese, fish, shellfish, and other premium foods.

Depending on production requirements, Utien Pack can integrate product loading, vacuum skin packaging, printing, labeling, inspection, and conveying into a complete production line. Machine settings and line layouts can be customized according to the product, packaging material, output target, and factory conditions.

With patented Unifresh® skin packaging technology, stable packaging equipment, and professional line integration, Utien Pack helps food processors improve freshness protection, packaging consistency, transportation stability, and retail presentation. Whether the product is premium meat, dairy, or seafood, Unifresh® skin packaging technology provides a flexible solution for them.

In 2013, Utien Pack became the first company in China to achieve a breakthrough in vacuum skin packaging technology. In 2025, Utien Pack was officially designated by the national authorities as the leading drafting organization for China’s national standard GB/T 46076-2025, General Technical Requirements for Automatic Vacuum Skin Packaging Machines. This recognition reflects Utien Pack’s long term technical leadership and continuous contribution to the development of vacuum skin packaging in China.