Fresh-cut meals: A quick snack when you’re short on time

What’s the story with Fresh-Cut?

Chilled Food, Convenience Or ‘Fresh-Cut’, for that matter: lots of terms, but a similar underlying message – it should, or must, be quick. For those who lack the time or inclination to conjure up elaborate meals, the path through the supermarket leads to tinned food, frozen meals or pre-packaged, ready-to-eat treats. Convenient food, without having to do much yourself, comes in many forms. But what does each term actually mean?

• Chilled food: This term refers to frozen products that usually only need to be heated or defrosted.

• Convenience: Chilled food is a form of convenience food, but not every convenience meal is chilled food. In other words, as well as frozen meals, this category also includes (almost) ready-to-eat meals from tins or pouches.

• Fresh-Cut: The name says it all – these products, such as fruit and vegetables, are bought ready to eat after having been freshly cut. This eliminates the need for further labour-intensive processing. Classic examples include pre-packaged mixed salads, as well as fruit cocktails and fruit skewers.

It goes without saying that fresh-cut foods generally need to be stored in a cool place to stay ‘fresh’. But what are the other characteristics, advantages or disadvantages of these foods?

An overview of the pros and cons of Fresh-Cut

Perhaps the biggest advantage has already been highlighted: these ready-to-eat meals are very appealing to consumers who do not have the time or inclination for lengthy cooking sessions. You can enjoy a healthy snack without having to wash, peel, chop or carry out any other preparation. They are healthy, above all, because when stored correctly, the food loses hardly any of its nutrients and generally contains no preservatives. These delicious ready-to-eat meals also score highly for their portion sizes, as they usually provide a well-rounded meal without leaving you with leftovers of various types of fruit and vegetables. The pre-packaged portions can also be combined wonderfully – the salad with the vegetable patties, or the sliced fruit with the yoghurt.

As with almost everything, there are drawbacks as well as advantages. What is perhaps most striking for consumers is the price tag, as fresh-cut products are quite expensive compared with the same foods in their unprocessed form. However, the reduced shelf life is likely to be an even more serious issue, particularly if the correct storage conditions are not followed. There is also a potentially higher risk of contamination, and the packaging generates a lot of waste.

To ensure it tastes great and stays that way: preparation and storage

To create a delicious fresh-cut meal, the first step is to choose high-quality fruit or vegetables as the basis. These should be washed for the first time as soon as possible after harvesting to remove any potential germs and bacteria straight away. However, the cut surfaces themselves and the damp environment inside a fruit pot or salad bag also provide ideal conditions for harmful germs. Pre-cut pieces of fruit and vegetables are often produced in cleanrooms. However, small businesses or the local supermarket often do not have this facility, which is why the shelf life is shorter compared to industrially produced food. Whether in a commercial kitchen or at the counter: hygiene is absolutely essential when dealing with such perishable foods. This applies to workwear, equipment and the working environment – not to mention staff hygiene, of course.

Once all this has been taken on board, appropriate packaging and storage do the rest to ensure that these foods remain a healthy treat for as long as possible. Ideally, these foods should be packaged in a modified atmosphere – certain gases and low oxygen levels help to preserve freshness. Product packaging plays a particularly important role in curbing the growth of harmful microorganisms: it must be sturdy and of high quality, as even a small leak is enough to accelerate spoilage.

Last but not least, the temperature is worth mentioning. Fruit cups and similar products are usually kept chilled. As part of a continuous cold chain, they should remain so until consumed. For food safety reasons, consumers should keep an eye on the use-by date when buying fresh-cut produce. If in doubt, the smell and taste should be checked carefully.

Where are fresh-cut meals used?

The time-saving aspect has now been highlighted on several occasions, and it is precisely this that makes ready-to-eat Fresh-Cuts so appealing. From supermarkets and cafés to schools and universities, these snacks are being offered with growing enthusiasm. Catering companies, too, can benefit from the work already done, in terms of making efficient use of time.

Enhancing the culinary experience of Fresh-Cuts with Ehlert’s help

Fresh-cut food products are as popular as they are challenging to produce. This makes having the right equipment a top priority. Gustav Ehlert GmbH supports you every step of the way with outstanding equipment. We offer not only disposable clothing and food-grade clothing, but also cleaning products to keep your workplace and equipment sparkling clean. The knives and blades from our shop are ready to cut fruit, vegetables and all kinds of fresh-cut foods into bite-sized pieces. Afterwards, our reliable packaging is ready for use. Everything you need for optimised food safety and production!

With Ehlert, you are ideally equipped for every stage of fresh-cut food production. As specialists with almost 100 years’ experience, we are confident we can support your business too.