Fresh produce and salad trays: polymer sourcing guide

Rigid APET or PP trays for supermarket fresh produce, meat, and ready-to-eat salads. Modified atmosphere film-lid sealing common.

Key requirements

• MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) compatibility — no plasticiser migration
• EU 10/2011 and FDA 21 CFR 177 compliance for direct food contact
• 30–50% PCR content for retail brand-owner sustainability targets
• Optical clarity in APET for visual merchandising in retail chillers

Procurement notes

APET sheet (IV 0.72–0.78, 200–800 μm) is thermoformed by specialists like Faerch and Ilip. rPET inclusion is rising — branded retailers mandate 30–50% recycled content. Indorama Ventures, Selenis, Equipolymers and SABIC are the main European APET sheet suppliers. PP is preferred for heated-environment applications and where sealing to PP lidding film is required for monomaterial recyclability.

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