Carton packaging breaks new ground

Food packaging technologies are advancing because of emerging consumer demands, growing food producer requirements, global food safety, and sustainability imperatives, writes Stefan Fageräng.

Consumer lifestyle, tastes and preferences require a wide portfolio of openings and closures to serve on-the-go consumption, drinking, pouring, cooking or spooning. Openings range from simple perforations to tear-away tabs and lids, one and two-step closures. Flip caps can be closed again after opening; screw caps can be resealed.

One-step openings, opened by twisting the cap one turn, have a clearly visible tamper evidence ring. That is an important part of the opening mechanism and clear indication for consumers that the package has not already been opened.

Two-step openings are opened either by unscrewing the lid and lifting the intuitive pull-ring or by twisting the lid and pulling a tab. Some consumers prefer two-step openings, mainly due to the perceived extra safety and hygiene.

Tetra Recart makes it possible to retort a carton pack, giving food producers sustainable and economic options

As consumer preferences evolve, companies must continuously update their portfolio offerings to increase the level of convenience offered. Development and engineering teams are the knowledge centres that deliver solutions to meet consumer needs. It is imperative that they innovate to support the entire portfolio and go beyond technology and product development to include the full life cycle.

At the same time, they work to come up with innovations that optimise production, reduce costs, and customise solutions for our customers. All that, while improving the environmental profile of our packages even further. Single-use openings, for example, are practical, low-cost openings that combine ease of use with high environmental credentials. From tear-off solutions to perforation, the single-use openings combine simplicity and convenience for a well-accepted consumer choice.

Newer plant-based caps are made from renewable polymers derived from sugar cane. They look identical and perform the same as standard caps. They are not biodegradable but can be recycled with plastics derived from fossil fuels. Plant-based caps derived from sugarcane increase the renewable content of carton packages and can contribute to reducing climate change impact.

PATENT-FREE PAPER STRAWS – FOR THE GOOD OF THE PLANET

Paper straws represent a sustainable development part of a broader programme to help address the issue of plastic straw waste. TetraPak offers 100mm and 116mm straws available for several of our carton packages. Our aim is to expand the offer to U-shaped paper straws and telescopic paper straws and also extend their availability to other portion packages, while it builds its own production capacity.

Tetra Pak announced its intention to publish and share innovations on paper straw developments, without filing for a patent, to support industrial collaboration on alternatives to single-use plastic straws for beverage cartons. The straws are made from FSC-certified paper and are recyclable along with the rest of the carton. Biodegradableoptions such as polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHA), a polymer derived from plant-based materials, which is also biodegradable is also being explored.

SHAKING UP CONVENIENCE FOR MODERN LIFESTYLES

Retorts offer a new level of convenience for consumers who assemble quality meals in their homes. Retorting is an in-container sterilisation process where both the package and its food contents are exposed to high pressure, high temperature in a humid environment for a longer period of time. The time and temperature exposure depend on which food product is being sterilised. It also varies between different producers with the same type of food product, depending on the qualities of the food they want to enhance.

Retorting is a tough process for any package type and has traditionally mainly been used on metal cans and glass jars. Now it's possible with carton packages. The major challenge when developing the package was to find a material structure that would be able to withstand the conditions inside a report and manage a shelf-life up to two years. Each layer in the package has its own specific purpose and together they keep the food inside the package safe.

Food and beverage packaging face many complex challenges. The contents must be delivered safely to people wherever they are, in ways that are convenient to their lifestyles. But the packaging must also be sustainable if we are to preserve the planet and our natural resources. •

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stefan Fageräng is the MD of Tetra Pak Southern Africa.

Tetra Pak - www.tetrapak.com