Method for application of smoke color to inside of bag

A method of packaging discrete pieces of meat with liquid additive in a flexible thermoplastic container, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a bag comprising a flexible thermoplastic container having an inside, an outside, an open neck end, a closed bottom end, and opposing bag panels, said container being vertically disposed with its open neck end beneath a stuffing horn;
• (b) delivering a liquid additive through a delivery means into said container, said delivery means being attached to said stuffing horn;
• (c) bringing together a squeeze roller and a backing plate whereby said container opposing bag panels are vertically held between said squeeze roller and said backing plate, said squeeze roller and said backing plate being disposed at said closed bottom end;
• (d) moving said squeeze roller upwardly along the container outside thereby dispersing the liquid additive along the container inside to a desired level in the container, and then bringing said squeeze roller apart from said backing plate;
• (e) stuffing through the open neck end of the thermoplastic container via the stuffing horn with a comminuted meat product such that the liquid additive on the inside of the thermoplastic container contacts the meat product;
• and
• (f) closing the open neck end of the container.