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Aseptic packaging tech. for healthier beverages
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Saturday, 05 April, 2008, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Bosky Christopher, Mumbai
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Food processing and packaging solutions provider Tetra Pak launched its new graphic identity with a tag line "Protects What's Good" in January. Tetra Pak Processing Director, South & South Asia Cluster, Ashutosh Manohar, said the company's motto was extended far beyond protecting the contents in a package at a seminar on 'Processed food industry in India - Vision 2015' organised by Association of Food Scientists & Technologists in collaboration with Food Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, in Mumbai.
Around 140 billion packages were filled aseptically in the world during 2006. This is equivalent to approximately 23 packages per inhabitant (Warrick Research). "The consumption growth of aseptic packages is on an average 5% per year and in some countries much more. We commit to making food safe and available everywhere," Manohar added.
Tetra Pak's technology ensures a better and safer product. The heart of the aseptic process is to sterilise the product and package. Individually, to fill the product in the package and to seal it in a sterile environment without the product being reinfected by micro organisms. The Ultra High Temperature treatment (UHT) processing ensures minimal loss of nutrients and essential vitamins ensuring practically "Zero Bacteria" product.
Tetra Aldose® S is a patented process designed specially for aseptic dosing of additives into aseptic solutions. It can also be used to achieve a sweeter taste in unsweetened products. The design of Tetra Aldose® S allows aseptic dosing of true solutions and suspensions containing particles smaller than 0.2 microns into aseptic solutions. The liquid to be dosed is stored in the tank on the Tetra Aldose S unit and then pumped through a sterile filter to remove all bacteria and spores. Then continuously dosed under aseptic conditions into the main product flow.
The design of Tetra Spiraflo® MTR exchangers for product-to-product heat recovery is dedicated for treatment of low viscous products with fibres of max 3 mm length. It allows product-to-product heat recovery giving lower energy costs.
"Tetra Pak's packaging is like a soldier that protects," says Manohar adding, "aseptic packaging of six layers ensures that the beverage is protected from any outside element. Micro organisms are prevented from entering the package during and after the packaging."
The Tetra Pak carton has six layers. Each layer "protects": Polyethylene - protects against outside moisture, Paper - for stability & strength, Polyethylene - adhesion layer, Aluminum Foil - oxygen, flavour & light barrier, Polyethylene - adhesion layer, and Polyethylene - seals in the liquid.
According to Manohar, the package sells what it protects and protects what it sells. Product safety, hygiene, shelf-life, logistics, ecology and cost efficiency are great advantages offered by aseptic carton packaging. An aseptic package keeps the 'bad' (light, oxygen, bacteria) and keeps in the 'good' nutrition value, vitamins, and taste.
Over 21 billion Tetra Pak cartons were recycled in 2006. In India Tetra Pak facilitates recycling programmes in 10 cities. It works with several NGOs and waste management companies to facilitate waste recycling.
To reinforce its environmental positioning, with the Young Climate Savers Programme Tetra Pak along with WWF will educate 150,000 children in 10 cities on climate change. Tetra Pak and WWF hope to motivate Indian children lead energy-efficient lifestyles and develop eco-friendly attitudes.
In addition, Tetra Pak also hopes to improve the quality of life for children. With over 5.8 billion Tetra Pak packages expected to be delivered to schools this year, at least 1 billion of those 5.8 billion packages are attributed to programmes in the developing countries.
Food for Development Office (FfDO) at Tetra Pak initiates and supports agriculture and dairy development programmes and school feeding and nutrition programmes based on such partnerships around the world. School milk programmes in Mexico helped children of all income groups reach normal height and weight targets. In Pakistan, school children improved on a range of health indicators as a result of the programme. Moreover, school enrolment had gone up, especially among girls. While, in Kazakhstan the children showed marked decreases in the prevalence of anaemia.
Since November 2007, the BMC has started a school milk programme in Mumbai that covers 1200 schools. "Everyday more than 450,000 school children in Mumbai are served flavoured milk in Tetra Pak cartons. This experience is a tremendous asset to us as we strive to ensure sustainable solutions for providing children with adequate nutrition," said Manohar.
Aseptic packaging plays an essential and beneficial role in countries where poor infrastructure does not allow for efficient distribution of food, where clean water and electricity are not easily accessible and where food wastage is often high.
Tetra Pak "aseptic" processing and packaging systems make possible the production of 'long-life' products that can be distributed and stored without refrigeration or added preservatives - for many months, added Manohar.
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