Dairy Processing - May/June 2024 - 54

PACKAGING
Reclosable packaging changes the life of the product
after it has been opened. The biggest danger for cheese is the
refrigerator itself. The refrigerator helps to prevent bacteria and
mold growth, but at the same time can dry out the cheese if not
packaged properly. Reclosable packaging protects the cheese
from drying out by keeping oxygen out to keep the product
fresher for longer. This prolongs the amount of time the food is
ideal for consumption, resulting in less that gets thrown away
by the consumer. Films today work hard to keep a tight seal
and keep oxygen out, all to increase shelf life.
SUSTAINABILITY
Environmental concerns and recyclability of packaging
remain top of mind for consumers and processors alike.
" When you consider the life cycle from cradle to grave
of various packaging formats, it's hard to beat the carbon
footprint of flexible packaging, " Josefchuk said. " Flexibles
use much less material than most rigid packages on a
comparable volume basis and demand considerably less
non-renewable energy and water to produce. In addition,
when you factor in the consumed transportation energy to
move packaging and packed products around, lightweight
flexible packaging is often the most efficient, ecofriendly
option. "
Amcor recently collaborated with Stonyfield Organic and
spouted pouch manufacturer Cheer Pack North America to
deliver a more sustainable packaging option.
The companies introduced an all-polyethylene (PE)
spouted pouch, which replaced Stonyfield's former multilaminate
structure for its YoBaby refrigerated yogurt.
Amcor shared that the new pouch design includes the
company's all-PE film, AmPrima Plus, as well as Cheer Pack's
Vizi cap. Amcor said the package eliminates metallized or foilbased
film layers that traditionally have been utilized in pouches.
54 MAY-JUN 2024 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Plus, the Cheer Pack cap reduces the amount of plastic used by
more than five tons per 10mm caps, the companies said.
Per Amcor, its R&D team worked with Cheer Pack
pouching and spouting experts to create " a package with
premium graphic production, high moisture and oxygen
barrier to preserve the content, and highly durable hermetic
seals along the pack edges and around opening fitments for
optimal performance under abusive conditions. "
Regardless of the type of product, considering pouch
packaging requires dairy processors to factor in the cost and
implentation of equipment to integrate a flexible packaging line.
" Cost is a major consideration when getting into pouches, "
Stauffer said. " The cost of pouch packaging machinery,
materials and operations can vary a lot depending on whether
you use form fill seal or fill seal equipment. A major contributor
to lower or higher costs in an operation is the knowledge,
skills and expertise of the operations and maintenance labor.
Forming or handling pouches in a dairy operation will require
pouch experience and there will likely be a longer learning
curve than dealing with more rigid packaging. "
The advances in dairy packaging technologies that
leverage high-heat sterilization also are extending to retort
systems, in which food is filled into a pouch or metal can,
sealed and then heated to high temperatures, rendering the
product commercially sterile.
Retort packaging is becoming increasingly popular, with
a projected 6.4% CAGR from 2021 to 2028 for the North
American sector, reports Grand View Research Inc., a San
Francisco-based market research and consulting company.
The firm notes that the increasing use of pouches in place
of rigid packaging solutions is resulting from the pouches'
" superior properties " such as being lightweight and portable
while using fewer materials, resulting in a " significant impact
on the overall market growth in the region. "
Stonyfield Organic/Amcor, Daisy, Dave Gordon Photography
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing - May/June 2024

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