New beer packaging technology
<editor's note> From the New Brewer Online edition http://www.beertown.org/IBS/Newbrewer/tnbonline.htm </editor's note>
Tetra Pak Introduces New Class Of Coating Technology, Wins FDA Approval Tetra Pak announced it has received acceptance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for GlaskinT packaging barrier coating as a safe food contact substance (1). Glaskin's silicon dioxide coating for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles creates a clear glass-like interior coating, enabling liquid food manufacturers to package oxygen sensitive beverages in PET containers without sacrificing product quality. Glaskin is safe for consumers, maintains the taste and quality of the products, cuts costs and is environmentally sound. Glaskin can be used in packaging to extend the shelf life and maintain the taste and nutritional value of beverages like beer, carbonated soft drinks, fruit juices and other oxygen sensitive beverages. Glaskin has proven its extended capabilities in shelf life tests for more than a year with brewers and beverage companies in the United States and Europe. Thinner than a human hair, Glaskin protects carbonated soft drinks and beer from going flat and guards fruit juices and beer from the effects of oxygen. "The quality of a liquid food product is only as good as its barrier," said Jeff Kellar, vice president, plastics packaging systems, Tetra Pak. "Glaskin's high-end barrier quality brings it to the top of PET packaging options to date." Glaskin enhances PET packaging by blocking both the ingress of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide, protecting the integrity of package contents. In a 24-week study comparing Glaskin to standard PET bottles, Tetra Pak found that Glaskin-coated bottles block 17 times more oxygen than uncoated, PET bottles. Glaskin technology also retains carbon dioxide 25 times greater than standard PET packages. The Glaskin process deposits a thin silicon dioxide layer on the interior surface of the bottle through a unique plasma enhanced process. The process achieves a very thin, homogeneous and dense coating compared to other coating technologies both plasma and chemical. The thin silicon oxide coating offers high elasticity, making it damage resistant, perfect clarity with no haziness and a superior barrier for keeping oxygen out and carbon dioxide in. Since it is an interior coating, Glaskin does not suffer from possible conveyer and line packaging damage. "We are especially pleased and proud of Glaskin's performance as an environmentally positive technology," said Kellar. Tetra Pak conducted several tests on Glaskin to ensure its recyclability. The tests were both textile and carpet conversion to fiber as well as bottle-to-bottle recyclability. The findings that were presented to Association of Post Consumer Plastics Recyclers (APR) concluded that in fiber conversion Glaskin does not impart any noticeable change in the quality of the end product, even when recycled using 100% Glaskin bottles. This means that when all of the incoming stream of PET bottles were coated with Glaskin, there was no noticeable effect on the PCR material. When Plastics Technologies, Inc, a leading supplier of proprietary technology and specialty manufacturing services to the plastic packaging industry, put PET bottles with Glaskin through bottle-to-bottle tests, the packages proved to be recyclable at 100% as well as fit seamlessly into existing PET recycling channels. Tetra Pak was recognized with the Partners for Change Award from the APR for its work and sensitivity towards recyclability in new product development. The Glaskin crystal-clear coating enables liquid food manufacturers to differentiate their products with package shape and size and still have a barrier that creates a new standard in PET packaging. In Europe, Spendrups and Bitburger Beer were successfully launched in PET bottles using the Glaskin coating technology. "We are excited to bring Glaskin to the United States after the great success that it has had in Europe. With the growing demand for plastics, Tetra Pak's Glaskin will quickly be associated as the top barrier for PET bottles," said Kellar. Tetra Pak expects the first US applications of Glaskin late-2002. Contact: Sarah Crawford, 312-222-0068. --Courtesy of Tetra Pak, Inc.