Dairy Processing - January/February 2024 - 40

PACKAGING
environment, thus inhibiting
the growth of bacteria or other
harmful microbes.
In some usages, food-safe
adhesives are used to maintain
the freshness and quality of
food items. They protect the
food against exposure to air,
moisture and temperature
inks for detection purposes on the packaging.
" NextCycle IML makes it easier in a mechanical recycling
stream to actually recycle the packaging to new food grade
packaging, " Nieuwenhuyse said. " This is an important enabler
that gives us a strong belief that NextCycle will be the IML of
the future. "
When the NextCycle IML labels are combined with the
company's SealPPeel die-cut lidding and digital watermarks,
it becomes the company's most sustainable packaging
offerings to date. The NextCycle IML technology was reverseengineered
by looking at the mechanical sorting streams in
the European market. The labels release from the packaging
in a mechanical sorting process, leaving behind a pure
polypropylene residue.
fluctuations that could lead to spoilage or degradation
of quality.
ADHESIVES AND GLUES
When direct on-pack labeling isn't possible, labels are
attached using approved adhesives.
The global market for packaging adhesives reached
$16,560.21 million in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR
of 5.63% from 2022-2027. Food packaging adhesives are a
significant contributor to the overall market growth.
The primary function of food-safe glue is to prevent
contamination of food products. It does this by creating
a secure barrier between the food and the surrounding
40 JAN-FEB 2024 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the
use of adhesives for food packaging. According to the FDA,
food-safe adhesives are classified as a food contact substance
" intended for use as a component of materials used in the
manufacturing, packing, packaging, transportation or holding
of food that is not intended to have a technical effect in food. "
Since adhesives used to package food can come into
indirect contact with it, the glue needs to pass stricter safety
criteria. Adhesive manufacturers are supposed to closely
follow the rules for raw materials in FDA, Section 175.300,
and the formulation rules stated in Section 175.105.
Section 175.105 also needs manufacturers to abide by
the rules on the ways adhesives can be used for packaging
and the kind of physical contact that's allowed. As per
Section 175.105, packaging manufacturers of finished food
should either make sure that adhesives are segregated from
food with the help of a barrier or with the extra limitations
depending on food type. For dry foods, the amount of
adhesive in contact with the food must be within the limits
stated under the Current Good Manufacturing Practices
(CGMPs). For fatty or aqueous foods, contact with adhesives
can't exceed at the seams and edges of the packaging
laminate that comes with the CGMP parameters.
The types of food-grade adhesive were large, less than a
couple of years ago, categorized into two main groups: cold
set adhesives and hot set adhesives. Today that is no longer
the case. Advances in food packaging and food preparation
have opened the field to new tech, allowing vogue food-safe
adhesives to enter the scene. In many cases, these adhesives
are partly inspired by those two categories and offshoots
of them.
Utilization of food-safe glue helps food handling and
production businesses comply with food safety regulations.
It aids in passing health inspections and avoiding legal
complications or penalties.
Through these roles, food-safe glues and adhesives play
an essential part in ensuring the safety, quality and visual
appeal of food while also supporting the operations of the
food industry.
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Dairy Processing - January/February 2024

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