Packaging Innovations Weekly Wrap

American beef producers have defended their packaging methods after a consumer watchdog raised questions about the safety of the process.

In innovations, Coca-Cola is trailing a resalable can, while Sagentia has developed a can made from cardboard, which it says is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional aluminium cans.

BEEF PRODUCERS DEFEND PACKAGING METHOD

American beef producers have been forced to defend their packaging techniques after consumer groups raised concerns about a preserving method that infuses meat with carbon monoxide.

Packaging with a high concentration of oxygen has a shelf-life of about two weeks, while low-oxygen packages containing carbon monoxide can stay fresh for more than a month.

Environmental group Food and Water Watch says consumers judge the freshness of meat based on its colour and packaging methods and that using carbon monoxide is deceptive and can lead to the consumption of spoiled meat.

Food industry executives told the US House Committee on Agriculture the method has no adverse health effects because the air composition in the packaging used in the process is less than half a percent carbon monoxide.

INNOVATIONS

Drinks giant Coca-Cola has developed a resealable can, which it is currently trialling in the Channel Islands.

The can features a flat plastic tab that swivels over the opening, acting as a lid.

A Coke spokeswoman says the design has been developed in response to customer feedback.

"We are continually looking art ways to innovate across out portfolio," she says.

"In line with trends for functional packaging and based on consumer feedback, a resealable can format is currently being trialled.

"Although this exciting innovation is creating a lot of buzz, we have no current plans to introduce this in Great Britain," she says.

As no other company is using resealable cans, the format could prove lucrative for the company.

Sagentia has developed a prototype cardboard can which has the same qualities as a traditional aluminium can, but with added cost and environmental benefits.

Sagentia says the 'can' is easy to make in the laboratory and it is looking for a manufacturing partner to take the product into full production.

The can costs around US18 cents per unit, and is able to be manufactured on a small scale, or in multiple sizes on a single manufacturing line.

Sagentia says the development opens up the possibility of creating cardboard aerosols in the future.

Stone Container Corporation's automated packaging systems group Smurfit has launched a revolutionary eight-sided corrugated cardboard box erector.

Existing systems are designed to erect META cases by forming and gluing a die-cut blank around a fixed mandrel, but the META KD-8 creates an eight-sided box.

Smurfit says the new format reduces materials, increases efficiency, stacking strength enhances graphic display opportunities, requires less square footage than RSV high compression and therefore is cheaper to produce.

The company says any product that is not square can be housed in the boxes, including liquids and grains.
Source: packaging-technology