aseptic packaging
TRANSCRIPT
Aseptic Packaging
May, 2009
Contents
Section – I - Product Packaging - Basics
• Aseptic Packaging• Application of Aseptic Packaging• Package Structure and Composition• Typical Composition of Tetra Pak Aseptic Cartons• Properties of Aseptic Packaging Material• Aseptic Processing in TetraPak• Aseptic Developments• Aseptic Processing – Methodology• Aseptic Processing and Packaging
Contents
Section – II - Packaging Developments
• Special Need of Plastics in Aseptic Packaging• Sealing of Aseptic Packaging• Different types of Closures• Types of Aseptic Packages• Popular Aseptic Packs• Typical packaging applications• Advantages of Aseptic Packaging Technology• Environmental Impact• Extraction of Raw material• Alternatives to aseptic packaging:• New Product Applications in Aseptic Packaging
PRODUCT PACKAGING - BASICS
Section I
Aseptic Packaging
Aseptic packaging can be defined as the filling of a commercially sterile product into a sterile container under aseptic conditions and hermetically sealing the containers so that re-infection is prevented. This results in a product, which is shelf-stable at ambient conditions.
Aseptic Packaging is the important development in the field of packaging
The first aseptic filling plant for milk was presented in Switzerland in 1961.
Application of Aseptic Packaging
There are 2 specific fields
Packaging of pre-sterilized and sterile products.Ex: milk and dairy products, puddings, desserts, fruit and vegetable juices, soups, sauces, and products with particulates.
Packaging of non-sterile product to avoid infection bymicro-organisms.
Ex: fermented dairy products like yoghurt.
Package Structure and Composition
Aseptic package should not only protect the product but also maintain the quality of the product. Hence the structure as well as composition of aseptic packaging are more complex and vary depending on product application, package size and package type.
Factors such as seal strength and integrity, package shape, stiffness and durability, as well as barrier properties determine the choice and/or combination of materials required.
Generally to achieve all required properties, aseptic packages incorporate more than one material in the structure that is assembled by lamination or co-extrusion process.
Typical Composition of Tetra Pak Aseptic Cartons
Tetra Pak aseptic cartons are made of three basic materials that together result in a very efficient, safe and light-weight package. Each material provides a specific function
Source: www.gpap.ca
Properties of Aseptic Packaging Material
• Higher degree of safety, hygiene and nutrient retention in food• Preserving taste and freshness• Can be kept for months with no need for refrigeration or
preservatives• Efficient (a filled package weight is 97% product and only 3%
packaging material), using a minimum quantity of materials necessary to achieve a given function
• A good example of resource efficiency is its light-weight (among the lightest packages available)
Source: www.envis-icpe.com
Aseptic Processing in TetraPak
The Tetra Pak company later became one of the leading suppliers of processing and packaging equipment for dairies. Aseptic techniques were common in Europe and Asia before they were introduced in the United States in the 1980s.
It is the process by which a sterile (aseptic) product (typically food or pharmaceutical) is packaged in a sterile container in a way which maintains sterility.
Sterility is achieved with a flash-heating process (temperature between 195° and 295°F (91° to 146°C)), which retains more nutrients and uses less energy than conventional sterilization techniques such as retort or hot-fill canning.
Aseptic Developments
Aseptic containers may range in size from a few fluid ounces to a nearly 8-million-gallon aseptic tank on an ocean-going ship. Aseptic processing makes worldwide export and import of new, economical and safe food products possible. Other common package types are drink boxes and pouches.
In 1991, the Institute of Food Technologists rated the top 10 innovations in food technology. Aseptic processing and packaging ranked No. 1, ahead of juice concentrates, safe canning processes, freeze-drying and food fortification.
In 2007 Dr. Philip E. Nelson received the World Food Prize in recognition for his pioneering work in aseptic processing and bulk storage.
A child is using TetraPak in 1965
Aseptic Processing – Methodology
Methodology: – Sterilization of the products before filling.– Sterilization of packaging materials or containers and closures
before filling.– Sterilization of aseptic installations before operation (UHT unit,
lines for products, sterile air and gases, filler and relevant machine zones).
– Maintaining sterility in this total system during operation; sterilization of all media entering the system, like air, gases, sterile water.
– Production of hermetic packages.
Sterilization Agents: – Heat, – chemicals– radiation
Aseptic Processing and Packaging
1.Metal and Rigid Containers Sterilized by Heat
a. Steam metal containers
b. Hot air Composite Can
Dole Canning systemsDrum fillers, e.g. Scholle, PranRicaDole hot air system
2.Webfed paperboard sterilized by H2O2 Tetra Pak (Brik Pak)International Paper
3.Preformed paperboard containers CombiblocLuquiPak
4.Preformed Rigid plastic containers Metal box AsePackGastiCrosscheck
5.Thermoform-fill-seal Benco AsepackBosch ServacConoflastThermoforming USA
6.Flexible Plastic containersa. Bag-in-box type
b. Pouches
c. Blow - moulded
Scholle Liqui BoxAsepakPrepacPrado pakInpacoBottlepackSeracALP
Classification of Aseptic filling and Packaging Systems
CATEGORY EXAMPLES OF SYSTEMS
PACKAGING DEVELOPMENTS
Section II
Special Need of Plastics in Aseptic Packaging
Packaging for aseptic was particularly in demand for Long Shelf-Life, High Seal Integrity and Consumer Appeal.
However, because plastic material is so important to aseptic packaging, it is useful to discuss some special properties demanded of plastics by aseptic process itself. They are as follows:
– Chemical resistance and wet ability– Thermal stability– Low levels of contaminating microorganisms; and– Resistance to ionizing radiations
Sealing of Aseptic Packaging
Any aseptic system must be capable of closing and/or sealing the package hermetically to maintain sterility during handling and distribution.
Longitudinal and Transverse seam are important.
Source: www.envis-icpe.com
Different types of Closures
Multiple “Opening” options were also available beyond the punch hole and straw option.
Slim Cap opening Simply Twist Screw Cap
Twist Cap Stream Cap
Types of Aseptic Packages
- Over the past few years aseptic packaging options have multiplied.- In 2007, SIG Combibloc alone offered 9 package format series with 37
packages in various size options.
Source: www.tetrapak.com
Popular Aseptic Packs
Aseptically filled Consumer Packages
– Bags and Pouches– Bottles and Jars– Carton Boxes:– Composite Cans– Cups and Trays– Metal Cans– Plastic Cans
Typical packaging applications
• Fruit Juices, concentrates, purees• Tomato Products• Milk and Cream• Coconut Products• Jam
Source: www.tradeget.com
Advantages of Aseptic Packaging Technology
Few advantages in all categories
- Process- Protection- Logistics- General advantages- Environmental Impact
Advantages of Bulk Aseptic Packaging
- Safety- Reliability- Extended Shelf-life- Product quality
Advantages in Protection
Food and drinks are optimally protected and keep their high quality for extended shelf life.
- Protection from light- Light impairs the taste of milk and reduces the vitamin content
in many beverages- Protection from oxygen- Oxygen causes juices to oxidize and spoil quickly- Protection from other odors and flavors- Other odors and flavors can impact natural product taste
Advantages in Logistics
Lower transport weight- A one liter beverage carton weighs only 28 grams verses a
glass container which weighs up to 380 grams
Lower storage costs - Warehousing Efficiency- Good stack ability- Improved pallet utilization configuration– Empty packages are stored flat until ready to be used (unlike
glass or cans). A standard semi-trailer truck can transport 1.5 million empty drink boxes versus only 150, 000 glass bottles.
– Space efficient in transport when filled. Brick shape = more product able to be stacked in the truck.
Advantages in general
Convenience – portable, lightweight, shatterproof. Food Safety – cooking and packaging process ensures that the
liquid is free from harmful bacteria and contaminants. No refrigeration required – saves energy both in transportation and
in storage. Requires less energy to heat and sterilize the product than some
other packaging methods. Nutrition benefits – process places less heat stress on foods than
canning therefore product can contain more nutrients as well as taste, color and texture.
Low packaging to product ratio – typically 96% product and only 4 % packaging.
Safety and Reliability in Aseptic
Safety due to• Steam sterilization of spout, and sterilization effect can be controlled and
recorded.• No chemical sprays used to sterilize the chamber.• Spout is tamperproof.• Safer sterilization and easier to monitor.• No risk of adding chemicals to the product.• No risk of laminate material relating with chemicals
Reliability, because:• The filling machine is uncomplicated as there is no sterile chamber.• Filling is controlled by weight. This ensures accuracy as no adjustments
for specific gravity need to be made.• Customer will have one partner with worldwide service organizations and
long experience in processing and packaging technology.
Life and Quality with Bulk Aseptic
Extended Shelf-life due to:
• High oxygen barrier of the laminate. Laminate is less susceptible to flex cracking.
• Secure spout with limited possibility of oxygen permeation. Spout is made of HDPE, which has three times less oxygen transmission rate compared to LDPE.
• There is no head space in the bag.
Product quality because:
• Chemical browning is minimized due to high oxygen barrier properties of pouch material.
Environmental Impact
Renewable Raw Material– Aseptic cartons are based on a renewable resource-paperboard from wood.
Resource Efficiency– Lightweight– Transportation Efficiency– Storage without cooling– Energy efficient production
Recyclable Material– Aseptic cartons are easy to recycle and are being recycled where respective
collection systems exist
Small or Zero CO2 Footprint– Aseptic cartons have a good performance regarding fossil resource
consumption and greenhouse gas effect which impacts global warming
Extraction of Raw material
Aseptic Packaging offers Ecological Optimization from Raw Material Extraction through Recycling.
* Source: German Federal Environmental Agency, 2000
Recycling/Waste management
Raw materials extraction
Production of packaging material
Production of packaging
Distribution
Alternatives to aseptic packaging:
Steel cans – require longer heating times, heavier to transport, does not stack as efficiently, can appear damaged and unusable to the consumer if dented in transport, opening not as convenient, can be recycled.
Retort pouches or tray packaging - Typical processing conditions involve temperatures of 121 degrees for up to 30 minutes. Unlike the metal can, retort pouches and trays are susceptible to rupture or seal separation during retorting if the internal pressure exceeds the external process pressure.
Glass bottles – may lack the oxygen and light barriers needed to increase shelf life, heavier to transport, breaks more easily than aseptic packaging, stacking not as efficient, may require refrigeration or preservatives to be added to the product, can be recycled.
Plastic container – can lack the oxygen and light barriers needed to increase shelf life, stacking not as efficient, may require refrigeration or preservatives to be added to the product, can be recycled if local council provides the right facilities.
New Product Applications in Aseptic Packaging
Traditional Core Segments
- Juices- Iced Teas- Dairy based beverages- Low acid foods- Broths etc
New Applications
- Wine- Small particle foods
- Soups- Salsas
- Waters- Natural Spring Water- Vitamin and Energy Water
drinks- Customized Functional
Waters
ASEPTIC PACKAGING
Innova Database Analysis
Aseptic Packaging
Introduction Quick Stats of Aseptic Packaging Products Market Analysis – Top 5 Markets Market Analysis – Top 10 Market Categories Market Analysis: Top 15 Countries Market Analysis: Top 10 Companies Aseptic Packaging - Positioning Category Analysis Aseptic Packaging - Flavor Analysis: Flavor Group Dairy and Soya Drinks Juices and Drinks Baby Foods and Drinks Soups in TetraBrik Wines and Alcoholic Soft Drinks Vegetables and Fruits in Aseptic Packaging Summary
Introduction
This section focuses on Aseptic Packaging product launches globally from the Innova Database. Search for products where Packaging matches one of Tetra Brik, Tetra Fino, Tetra Pak, Tetra Pouch, Tetra Prisma, Tetra Rex, Tetra Top across all regions.
The review contains information regarding new Aseptic Packaging product launches from January 2008 to December 2008.
Market Analysis Company Analysis Positioning Analysis Flavour Analysis Aseptic Packaging Product Trends
Quick Stats of Aseptic Packaging Products
Search for products where Packaging matches one of Tetra Brik, Tetra Fino, Tetra Pak, Tetra Pouch, Tetra Prisma, Tetra Rex, Tetra Top across all regions for Date Published between 01/1/2008 and 12/12/2008
Market Analysis – Top 5 Markets
Market Analysis – Top 10 Market Categories
Market Analysis: Top 15 Countries
Market Analysis: Top 10 Companies
Aseptic Packaging - Positioning Category Analysis
Aseptic Packaging - Flavour Analysis: Flavour Group
Dairy and Soya Drinks
Alpro Soya DairyFree Shake -Saudi Arabia
Auchan Rik & Rik Batido Sabor Vanilla: Skimmed Milk with Vanilla Flavor - Spain
Gogreen Soygurt Jordgubb: Soy Yogurt Drink in
Strawberry Flavor - Sweden
Dukat Trajno Mlijeko + 7 Vitamina - Milk with
7 Added Vitamins - Croatia
Lactasoy Soy Milk
in Chocolate Flavor - Thailand
Parmalat Vanilla Flavored Milk -Colombia
Indomilk UHT MilkChocolate Drink -
Indonesia
Schardinger Formil Milk-
Austria
Juices and Drinks
El Corte Ingles Melocoton Y uva - Peach & Grape Juice Drink - Spain
Frugo Pear Flavored Juice
Drink - Chile Original Orange Nectar –Saudi Arabia
Carnini Arance Fior di Frutti
- Orange Juice - Italy
Scheiber Dynamix Daries Ltd-India
Berri Dark Grape Juice – Singapore Dimes Apple Juice-
South Korea
Leco GrapeNectar-
Brazil
Baby Foods and Drinks
Parmalat Len Liquid Formula Milk for 3YrsChildren - Colombia
P'tit Souper Douceur d'Artichaut – ArtichokesSoup for Infants – France
Nutriben 8 Cereales Papilla Lista Para Tomar - 8 Cereal Baby Food – Spain Nestle Junior Milk
2+
Switzerland
Agusha Reconstituted Apple-Apricot Juice with Pulp - Russia
Semper Smoothie Banan och Mango - Banana and Mango Flavor Smoothie for Babies - Sweden
Cow & Gate Ready Made Infant Milk for Hungrier Babies - UK
Prenagen Chocolate Flavored Milk for Pregnant Women - Indonesia
Soups in TetraBrik
Campbell's V8 Southwestern Corn Soup - US
Knorr Fish Soup with Vegetables – Belgium
Auchan Caldo de Pollo - Chicken Soup - Spain
Liebig Pur Soup' Potiron d'Automne - Pumpkin Soup - France
Aneto Caldo Natural Pollo - Natural Chicken Soup - Saudi
Arabia
Itoen Green Colored Vegetable Soup - Japan
Knorr Vellutata Di Spinaci - Ready Spinach Soup - Belgium
Ekstroms Rosehip
Soup - Taiwan
Wines and Alcoholic Soft Drinks
Sangria Cruzares Cocktail - Mexico
Caviro Tavernello Rose Wine - Italy
Pinard RedWine - Denmark
Don Simon Vino Rosado Table Rose Wine – Saudi Arabia
Tavernello White Wine - Italy
Vegetables and Fruits in Aseptic Packaging
Coop Ceci: Chickpeas - Italy
Naplina Sieved Tomato Passata - UK
Del Monte Tropical Fruit: Tropical fruit in sweetened fruit juices - US
Wal-Mart Great Value Tomato Pulp - Brazil
SPC Crushed Tomatoes - Australia
Knorr Vegetable Puree: Vegetable puree made with 12 different vegetables - Spain
Broja Banana Puree - China
Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream Style - Indonesia
Kelda Kokos: Low Fat Coconut Milk Cooking Sauce - Sweden
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: www.tetrapak.ca
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: pffc-online.com Source: www.gpap.ca
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: www.sustainableisgood.com
Source: www.littleviews.com
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: www.lanpak.ca/packaging.htmSource: www.oakleaf-european.co.uk
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: www.tetrapak.com
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: www.tetrapak.com
Aseptic packagingin aluminum foil
Source: www.asepticbaginbox.com
Source: www.tetrepak.co.jp
Tetra Aseptic Packs
Source: www.thehealthywayfoods.com
Source: www.packagingeurope.com
Sky long aseptic brickwww.21food.com
Source: www.dotfood.euSource: savushkinproduct.com
Source: www.caspllc.com
Summary
The aseptic packaging is very well accepted in food product applications worldwide as a safe and high-quality packaging option.
Aseptic processing sterilizes food products by destroying the harmful bacteria and pathogenic micro-organisms through a tightly controlled thermal process and combines the sterile product with the sterile packaging material in a sterile environment, the end result is a shelf-stable product requiring no refrigeration.
Innova Database analysis indicates that Dairy & soft Drinks are the top markets for Aseptic packaging. Recently, wines, soups, baby foods and Water are added to aseptic packaging line.
Packaging must address the following• Food Safety• Convenience• Affordability
Convenience• Cost-effective transport and storage with minimal environmental impact• No need for cold chain• Makes safe food available the whole year