Deconstructing an aseptic carton
In part two of Aseptic Advantage, we unravel the layers that make up an aseptic pack to understand the science behind the protection they offer.
Food safety and security have always been of great importance to mankind, spurring on innovation in packaging and food preservation – with aseptic technology and aseptic cartons transforming the food and beverage industry. So, these packs that offer shelf-stability in ambient temperatures, what are they actually made of? And how big a role does each component play in the overall product?
Layers of protection
An aseptic carton has to offer protection on many fronts, taking into account moisture, oxygen, light, odour, leaks and so on.
A typical aseptic carton consists of multiple protective layers and typically
consist of three core elements: paperboard, polyethylene and aluminium. Liquid Paperboard (LPB), accounts for 70-80% of the total weight of the carton and is crucial for its rigidity. The LPB is first coated with high-quality polyethylene (PE) to keep it impermeable. An ultra-thin layer of aluminium is applied to protect against light, oxygen, external aromas and odours. Another layer of PE is placed over aluminium to bond it to the paperboard and prevent it from coming in contact with the pack’s contents.
From paperboard to sleeve with #SIG
Food safety without aluminium foil
Aluminium is an important barrier in a typical aseptic structure; however, it is also a finite resource. Therefore, the world’s first full-barrier aseptic pack without aluminium foil – our SIGNATURE EVO – is a big step for the food and beverage industry. Why? Because it enables manufacturers to package even oxygen-sensitive products in a more sustainable way. This takes the innovation used for our industry-first aseptic carton without aluminium foil, combibloc ECOPLUS, a step further in which the aluminium layer was replaced by an ultra-thin polyamide layer.
Sustainable layers
Even though aseptic carton packs are a mix of materials, they rank highly in terms of sustainability credentials; more so when you consider all the materials are responsibly sourced. ASI-certified aluminium is a standard for all SIG carton packs in Europe, and 100% of the paperboard used in all SIG packs is FSC-certified. SIGNATURE 100 even comes with polymers that are 100% linked to plant-based renewable materials via a mass-balance system. And the soon-to-be launched SIGNATURE EVO 100, a full-barrier pack without aluminium foil linked to 100% renewable forest-based materials, will make aseptic cartons even more sustainable with its innovative use of materials.
To know more about such innovations, subscribe to SIGnals Update, our exclusive bi-weekly newsletter. And don’t miss part three of this series in which we will take a look at the process behind aseptic filling technology.
- April 14, 2022