Food Packaging

Multilayer Food Packaging solutions:

The Government of India has recently launched an initiative Make in India with
the goal on making India as manufacturing hub. With this initiative a huge opportunity
is foreseen in the focus sector of food processing Industry. The Ministry of Food
Processing Industries (MOFPI) is supporting the Make in India initiative with the
focus on the reduction in the wastage of perishable agricultural produce and
enhancing shelf life of food products thereby ensuring value addition to agricultural
produce.
Multilayer rigid plastic container for Food Packaging will be very useful as one of the
tools by the food processing industry in achieving the goals of Make in India with
modern improved way of packaging and also reduction in the wastage of perishable
agriculture produce along with enhanced shelf life.
Conventional rigid plastic containers such as PET, HDPE, PP and LDPE containers are
commonly used in the food industries; but these containers do not offer sufficient
barrier required against the Oxygen gas which is very detrimental for the products
shelf life.
Glass containers on the other hand have its own problems such as heavy weight of the
container, high transport cost for empty as well as filled containers, difficult handling,
design freedom and injury during handling. This makes glass containers less preferable
as compared with the plastic containers.
In order to increase the products shelf life, a barrier layer of EVOH is introduced into
the plastic container to decrease the permeability of gases, aromas and moisture.
These containers are also known as multilayer EVOH containers or Co-extruded
containers or simply Co-ex containers.

Multilayer EVOH plastics containers; because of their high barrier properties gives
extended shelf life and in turn can be used for replacement of glass and aluminium
packaging.
Structure of Multilayer Containers:
The six layer structure of co-extruded container is as given below. The regrind layer is
either next to outermost Virgin HDPE / PP layer or the innermost HDPE/ PP layer.
Inner Virgin HDPE / PP
(1)
Process grind Layer

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Food Packaging
(2)
Adhesive Layer
(3)
Barrier Layer (EVOH )
(4)
Adhesive Layer
(5)
Outer Virgin HDPE / PP
(6)
The raw material used for the majority thickness of container shall be HDPE or other
materials such as Polypropylene (PP) as agreed between buyer and seller.
The adhesive layer used is EAA based polymer or any other suitable layer as agreed
between buyer and seller. The barrier layer used is usually EVOH or PA or any other
suitable polymer layer as agreed between buyer and seller.
Advantages of using Multilayer / Co-extruded containers having EVOH as
barrier layer: O2/ CO2
Barrier
No Migration

Low Weight

UV Barrier

Multilayer
Container
Characteristic
s

Design
Freedom

Aroma/
Fragrance
Barrier

Solvent Barrier

Easy handling

Superior Gas and Moisture Barrier Properties

-

EVOH based Multilayer containers provide excellent barrier properties against

the permeation of gases. It exhibits superior barrier compared to any other
conventional polymers. The gas barrier prevents oxygen from penetration thus
preventing the spoilage of the contents and preserves the organoleptic
properties of the product..

Barrier to Flavour Permeation

-

Multilayer containers also give excellent barrier to flavour of the packaged food.

Barrier to Aroma Permeation

-

The EVOH layer provides an excellent barrier against the permeation of aroma.
Thus EVOH based Multilayer packaging containers provides high aroma
retention for use in food packaging. This helps in retaining the value of the
product till it reaches to the ultimate customer.

Resistance to Oil

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Food Packaging
-

EVOH provides effective barrier to oils and organic compounds by way of

reduced oxygen permeation through the packaging wall.

Weather Resistance
-

EVOH based multilayer plastic container provides good weather resistance to

outdoor exposure. Since the EVOH is sandwiched between other polymer layers
hence its barrier remains intact during transportation, handling and storage.

Hot Filling of Container

-

The biggest advantage with these EVOH based Multilayer container is that the
products can be hot filled at 75 to 80 deg C; this helps in enhanced production
on the shop floor for the products.

Co-extruded plastics containers because of their non-porous property gives extended

shelf life and in turn can be used for replacement of glass, Tin and aluminium
packaging in most of the food products.

Advantages of using Multilayer Containers over Glass and Metal

packaging:
Properties /
Features

Multilayer
Technology

Glass

Metal

O2 Barrier

Very Good

Excellent

Excellent

H2O Barrier

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

Migration in
Food

None

None

Concern

Design
Freedom

Excellent

Concern

Poor

Weight

Very Low

Concern

High

Presentation

Excellent

Good

Poor

Safe Handling

Excellent

Concern

Poor

Shelf Life

Very Good

Excellent

Excellent

Corrosion

Nil

Nil

Concern

Case Study:

Advantage of Multilayer Containers over Glass containers for 1000 gm

Ketchup Container:
Characteristics
Empty Bottle Weight (Per

Multilayer
Container
1 Kg SKU
70 gms

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Glass Containers
1 Kg SKU
470 gms

Savings
compared to
Glass container
85 %

Food Packaging
Piece)
Filled Bottle Weight (Per
Piece)
Empty Bottle Transport Cost

1070

1470 gm

27 %

Low

High

30 -40 %

Filled Bottle Transport Cost

Low

High

25 30 %

Handling Breakages /
Product Loss
Export Container Stuffing

1-3 %

3-6 %

High

Low

20- 30 %

Final Export Packaging

Expenses
Decoration Options

Low

High

20 %

Shrink Sleeve,
Screen Print, Label,
Pad Printing

Shrink Sleeve,
Label

--

Advantage of Multilayer Containers over Glass containers for 300 gm

Pickle Container:
Characteristics

Multilayer
Container 300 ml

Glass Containers
300 ml

Empty Bottle Weight (Per

Piece)
Filled Bottle Weight (Per
Piece)
Empty Bottle Transport Cost

25 gms

250 gms

Savings
compared to
Glass container
90 %

325

550

40 %

Low

High

30 -40 %

Filled Bottle Transport Cost

Low

High

25 30 %

Handling Breakages /
Product Loss
Export Container Stuffing

1-3 %

3-6 %

High

Low

25- 30 %

Final Export Packaging

Expenses
Decoration Options

Low

High

20 %

Shrink Sleeve,
Screen Print, Label,
Pad Printing

Shrink Sleeve,
Label

--

Copyright @ 2014 by Bhupendra Singh

Food Packaging

Applications and References for Multilayer; High Shelf-life Packaging

Ketch Up in Multilayer Containers

Shelf Life : 9 12 Months

Flavoured Energy Drink (Powder

or Liquid) in Multilayer Containers
for Improved Flavour Retention
Shelf Life : 9 12 Months

Salad Dressing packaging in

Multilayer Containers for
Improved Shelf Life
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Indian Sweets such as Rasgulla

etc. in Multilayer Containers in
Multilayer Container
These containers can also be
retorted.
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Pickle/ Cooking Pastes/ Fruit Jam

in Multilayer Containers
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

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Food Packaging

Ginger Garlic Paste

in Multilayer Containers
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Cut Fruits in Multilayer Container

for Replacement of Tin Containers
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Tomato Puree and other

vegetable Purees in Multilayer
Container for Replacement of Tin
Containers
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Ghee (Clarified butter) in

Multilayer Container for
Replacement of Tin Containers
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Coffee and Flavoured Tea

packaging in Multilayer Container
for retention of flavour
Shelf Life : 6 12 Months

Suggested Applications of Multilayer Packaging:

Ketch up

Dairy Products

Fruit Juices

Ghee

Mustard Paste

Mayonnaise

UHT Milk

Fruit Jams

Infant Foods

Garlic Paste

Topping Sauces

Dips

Mix Fruit Jams

Puree

Pickles

Fruit Pulps

Sweets

Gherkins

Honey

Ginger Paste

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Food Packaging

Dry Fruits

Coffee

Cut Fruits

NutriSupplements

Chilli Paste

Snacks

Jellies

Oils

Condiments

Spices

Mango Chutney

Squeezy
Chutney

Exotic Chutney

Cooking
Sauces

Cooking Pastes

Disclaimer: All the illustrated diagrams and pictures belong to their respective companies and brands.

Copyright @ 2014 by Bhupendra Singh