Resealable stand-up pouches continue to gain momentum as a retail packaging format for fresh fruits and vegetables. Their convenient structure and strong shelf appeal make them particularly attractive to packers and retailers. However, controlling moisture without losing the benefits of a modified atmosphere has posed a persistent challenge, especially for moisture-sensitive products such as cucumbers. StePacPPC has responded with an advanced pouch platform designed to protect quality, extend shelf life and improve consumer convenience.
The new Xgo™ PAZ Pouch uses advanced flexible-film technology to regulate both humidity and internal atmosphere, helping preserve the freshness of products that are highly vulnerable to excess moisture. Packers and retailers already use the patent-pending packaging for cucumbers, supporting quality preservation for up to 16 days. The pouches help retain the vegetable’s crisp texture, flavor and bright appearance from harvest and retail merchandising through transportation and refrigeration at home. They also provide a practical format for everyday use and snacking on the go.
Several points within the cucumber supply chain can make modified atmosphere packaging difficult to implement. Cucumbers are commonly packed in laminated stand-up pouches with a low water vapor transmission rate, or WVTR. Because these structures release limited moisture, condensation can accumulate inside the package and create an environment that encourages microbial deterioration. Packers often respond by adding macro-perforations to improve ventilation.
That approach, however, compromises the modified atmosphere, increases dehydration and can reduce storage life. Macro-perforations may also fail to prevent condensation entirely. The risk becomes greater when cucumbers enter the package without adequate precooling, move through inconsistent distribution networks or remain at ambient retail temperatures before consumers refrigerate them. These considerations align with broader food distribution trends and the growing demand for packaging solutions that perform reliably under variable logistics conditions.
A three-part preservation approach
Xgo™ Modified Atmosphere Packaging films combine three preservation functions in a single pouch: atmosphere management, humidity regulation and condensation reduction.
“With traditional laminated pouches, achieving modified atmosphere for shelf-life extension comes at the expense of optimal moisture control,” explains Gary Ward, Ph.D., CTO for StePacPPC. “Conversely, if you want optimal moisture control, you need to macro-perforate, which is at the expense of modified atmosphere and increases the risk of dehydration. This is the balance fresh produce packagers struggle to reach. Xgo™ PAZ pouch’s three-in-one design successfully overcomes this limitation and offers a comprehensive solution that effectively maintains appearance and quality of the produce, extends the marketability window, and ultimately reduces food waste and costs.”
The patent-pending pouch is gaining traction across North America, where fresh produce suppliers are using its moisture-management capabilities to address disruptions and fluctuations throughout the supply chain. By keeping cucumbers dry, crisp and less vulnerable to microbial decay, the packaging helps maintain quality until the product reaches the consumer’s refrigerator.
Wholesum introduces mini cucumber snack packs
Wholesum Family Farms, Inc. recently launched Lil’ Ones™ Organic Baby Cucumbers in portable 8 oz. Xgo™ pouches. The compact format supports convenient on-the-go consumption while presenting fresh organic vegetables in an appealing retail package. Prior to expanding the product commercially, Wholesum completed 16-day shelf-life trials that simulated supply chain conditions. By the end of the test, organic baby cucumbers in the PAZ pouch achieved a 29 percentage-point improvement in overall quality compared with a leading top-seal format. Organic mini cucumbers also recorded a 10 percentage-point advantage over produce packed in conventional macro-perforated packaging. The results reflected lower moisture levels, reduced decay and mold, and stronger visibility, appearance and overall product quality.
“At Wholesum, we’re always looking for ways to remove barriers between consumers and fresh, healthy produce,” adds Joanna Jaramillo, marketing manager for Wholesum. “Excess moisture may seem like a small challenge, but it can have a significant impact on how consumers perceive freshness. Through our partnership with StePacPPC, we’ve been able to bring a solution that helps cucumbers maintain the clean, fresh appearance shoppers expect, creating a better experience and bringing more joy to healthy snacking.”
The packaging is also gaining interest among suppliers of specialty fruits such as lychee, pitaya, rambutan and longan. For these products, the pouches help protect color, flavor and visual quality while extending the selling window. They also offer an alternative to clamshell packaging, which often requires opening and manual removal of condensation after temperature changes. Freshway Produce, Inc., based in Florida, uses the PAZ pouch across its exotic fruit range. The format allows the company to pack products at origin in their final retail presentation, avoiding the substantial expense of repacking after arrival in the United States.
“We offer Xgo™ PAZ pouches with variable WVTR films that can provide precisely the required level of moisture control and modified atmosphere properties for specific produce items,” adds Ward. “This makes the packaging adaptable for a range of fresh fruits and vegetables. We tweak the film in accordance with the unique preservation requirements of the produce being packed and the prevailing supply chain conditions.”
Available in multiple sizes, Xgo™ stand-up pouches include a resealable closure for added consumer convenience. Their upright format creates strong shelf presence, while the clear structure and condensation-control performance provide shoppers with an unobstructed view of the produce. This combination reflects key food and beverage industry trends, including the demand for convenient formats, visible freshness and packaging that supports food and drink sustainability by reducing avoidable waste.
As food manufacturing trends, food processing technology and food and drink industry innovation continue to influence fresh produce operations, packaging suppliers are developing solutions that address both commercial performance and consumer expectations. The Xgo™ PAZ Pouch demonstrates how advances in food and drink packaging can support product quality, improve food and drink marketing opportunities and respond to evolving food and drink consumer trends while helping businesses navigate food and drink regulations.
StePacPPC will showcase the technology at IFPA in Orlando, October 15–16, at Booth #2933.
