Preference for food with a fresh appearance and free from unwanted odours, makes adequate packaging fundamental. Therefore aroma barrier properties are enormously important in any packaging for perishable contents. Barrier packaging must protect the product from extrinsic elements outside the package, such as gases, moisture, odors, contaminants and light. In addition, there are intrinsic factors from inside the package that should be considered. These can be flavor scalping, aromas or chemical changes in the product being packaged.
BASF’s Epotal can be applied to filmic substrates using polymer dispersions or polymer solutions where aroma or grease barrier properties are required. It helps prevent the permeation of fat, aromas and flavours through polymers. Furthermore it can be applied to paper and board as a coating component. It can also be used as an adhesion promoter between polymer films and/or coatings. Coatings on OPP films preserve the aroma of the packaging contents and protect them from odours in the environment. Under suitable coating and drying conditions for optimum film formation, the coating results in a crystal-clear and heat-sealable barrier. Epotal used as a primer particularly adheres well to polyolefinic films. It forms an elastic and tacky coating.
Epotal Eco by BASF is the first compostable water-based adhesive certified by the German Technical Inspection Agency TÜV. It is particularly suitable for the production of multi-layer films for flexible packaging. Epotal Eco is compatible with all commonly used biodegradable plastic films. Tests have shown that after 70 days, 90% of the adhesive is broken down - without leaving any toxic residues and without any negative impact on the environment. This means that Epotal Eco meets the European EN 13432 standard for biodegradable plastics and allows, for the first time, the production of fully compostable packaging. Apart from this, Epotal Eco offers all benefits of water-based adhesives. BASF’s water-based adhesives are an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to solvent-based and solvent-free products: They are free from toxic components and consequently, they are particularly suitable for food packaging. In addition, multi-layer films that have been specifically produced based on these BASF adhesives can be processed immediately after lamination. This way, the adhesives help the packaging industry to save time and money.
Bicor™ HS, AB and AB-X clear biaxially oriented polypropylene (OPP) films from ExxonMobil Chemical feature acrylic coatings on both sides to provide a versatile solution for overwrap (OW), vertical and horizontal form fill and seal (VFFS and HFFS) packaging formats. It offers flavor and aroma barrier for high clarity packaging performance.
Films made from Dow’s SARAN™ resins lock in flavor, keep in moisture, prolong shelf life, seal out oxygen, and showcase quality. Because of its low permeability, Saran™ also provides an outstanding barrier against aroma loss, and protects flavor integrity by eliminating the potential for off-taste and off-odor pick-up in sensitive packaged products. These films deliver superior barrier performance in the most demanding applications. Its unique molecular composition is like a complex maze - it is tough for most molecules to get in, and those that do can't find their way out very easily. It delivers cost-effective and dependable oxygen barrier performance for packaging meats and fish, and outstanding moisture barrier performance that keeps crackers, cereal and shelf-stable baked goods fresh and crisp. And, because of its low permeability, it provides outstanding barrier against aroma pick-up or loss, protecting flavor integrity (especially in low-fat foods) by keeping desirable aromas and flavors in, and off-tastes and off-odors out. Most important, it delivers performance in real world temperature and humidity conditions.
Kureha Corporation’s proprietary polymerization technology has resulted in the world’s first industrial scale PGA manufacturing facility, allowing the introduction and first commercial widespread use of Kuredux® as a new polymer offering to industry. Kuredux® has high gas barrier properties (O₂, CO₂ and moisture vapor) making it an ideal solution to:
• Insure optimal shelf life of perishable foods
• Extend the functional shelf life of carbonated beverages
• Maintain gas environments in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)
Kuredux® barrier properties are not impacted by high relative humidity conditions, making it especially effective for food and beverage packaging in bottle, formed container and flexible film formats. Kuredux® is a desirable packaging material where aroma/flavor is an important part of product quality. It demonstrates a high retention rate for commonly used flavor groups such as D-limonene, L-menthol and vanillin.
EVAL™ EVOH is available either as a resin in pellet form, or as film for lamination. It combines the excellent gas barrier properties and resistance to organic solvents of polyvinyl-alcohol with the thermoforming and water resistance properties of polyethylene. These films have outstanding gas barrier properties. Without a gas barrier, oxygen may penetrate packaging and spoil the contents. EVAL™ keeps oxygen out and safeguards quality, making it especially suitable for food, medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, agricultural and industrial packaging applications. While preventing oxygen and undesirable odours from sneaking into the package, the barrier properties effectively maintain fragrances and lock the aromas in. This guarantees an extended shelf life for food and cosmetic products.