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Retail display case lighting applications

Supermarket Fresh Meat Display Case Lighting

Meat Display Case Lighting Radiation from supermarket fluorescent lighting impacts meat in several ways, changing its color, smell, flavor, rate of decomposition, and marketability. The popularity of organic food means that meats are now on display with fewer preservatives, making them even more sensitive to the effects of light than in recent years and leading to shorter shelf life and faster decomposition, yet customers are more likely than ever to select meat based on its color and freshness. In fact, many studies have shown that color is the primary means by which consumers judge meat juiciness, tenderness, and flavor.

Fresh Meat Displays

Regular supermarket meat display case lighting shortens the brief period when meat is blooming, turning it brown prematurely; increases the rate of bacterial growth; and distorts the meat’s natural color.

VISUAL APPEAL OF FRESH MEAT IN SUPERMARKET MERCHANDISERS
Consumers judge the freshness of meat by its color, but many lighting sources distort true colors. <more...>

COLOR OF FRESH MEAT IN SUPERMARKET DISPLAY CASES
The color of fresh meat is determined by the pigment myoglobin, which undergoes various chemical reactions to form other pigments. These reactions are triggered by light, heat, and oxygen availability. <more...>

SPOILAGE OF FRESH MEAT IN COMMERCIAL SHOWCASES
The growth of bacteria leads to meat spoilage. Most display case lighting emits radiation which raises meat surface temperatures even in refrigerated display cases, leading to exponential bacterial growth. <more...>

MEAT REWRAPS IN GROCERY STORE MEAT CABINETS
Meat that doesn’t sell can be sold more cheaply by rewrapping it, such as grinding it, marinating it, or even cooking it, but this still represents a loss in terms of additional labor costs and realizing a smaller profit. <more...>

MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING (MAP) FOR RETAIL DISPLAYS OF FRESH MEAT
Modified atmosphere packaging controls the amount of oxygen surrounding the meat, but the transparent wrapping traps radiant heat from lighting which leads to dehydration and spoilage. <more...>

FRESH BEEF DISPLAYS IN SUPERMARKET MEAT DEPARTMENT SHOWCASES
The color of beef changes dramatically under supermarket fluorescent lighting from full bloom red to dull brown. Beef spoilage and rewraps cost the United States $1 billion per year and Canada $200 million per year. <more...>

FRESH POULTRY DISPLAYS IN GROCERY STORE MEAT MERCHANDISERS
Radiation from meat display case lighting leads to an increased rate of bacterial growth and decomposition in poultry displays. <more...>

FRESH PORK DISPLAYS IN SUPERMARKET MEAT DISPLAY CASES
Pork shelf life is limited more by discoloration than by spoilage. High surface temperatures accelerate discoloration and can lead to lipid oxidation of pork fats, causing the pork to become rancid. <more...>

PROCESSED AND CURED MEATS IN RETAIL MEAT SHOWCASES
Grinding meat and stirring in herbs exposes lean tissue and fat to light and oxygen, making the product susceptible to discoloration and rancidity. The color of cured meat is very unstable when exposed to ultraviolet light. <more...>

For meat science references and excerpts click here.

Promolux True Color Definition Lamps

Promolux Safe Spectrum balanced full spectrum lamps emit lower levels of heat and ultraviolet radiation than regular supermarket fluorescent lamps, thus reducing the rate of meat decomposition. Compared to other fluorescent lighting, Promolux lamps emit 86% lower UV B radiation, a shorter wavelength that penetrates and causes heating, and 52% lower UV A radiation, a longer wavelength that tends to affect surfaces.

Because Promolux lamps are designed for true color definition, they have a more balanced visible spectrum than other fluorescent lamps. The yellow and green wavelengths that are predominant in regular fluorescent lighting are the most damaging wavelengths in the visible spectrum.

Promolux lamps emit a more balanced range of wavelengths, including more of the red and blue wavelengths and more moderate levels of the yellow and green wavelengths. This balance ensures that the cherry red of blooming beef its white fat and marbling are displayed in their true colors, rather than appearing brownish with yellowed or pink fat as often happens with regular meat display lighting.

PROMOLUX The Professional Choice For Fresh Meat Displays.