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Dairy packaging goes attractive, lightweight, recyclable
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Thursday, 16 October, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
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fiogf49gjkf0d Dairy pack sizes are evolving. Packs are becoming lighter in weight and recyclable, the designs are becoming more attractive, and companies are offering bioplastics and smart technology, apart from barrier solutions.
Every player in the segment, be it Britannia Industries, Parag Foods or the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), is on the lookout for fresh ideas and solutions to package fresh milk.
Novel concepts
In this regard, according to Rajat Kedia, director, Manjushree Technopack, multilayer, additives and blends is the prevalent trend. The need for this has arisen because of the increase in the demand for products with a longer shelf life. There is a specific need to opt for novel packaging concepts specifically for perishable foods like milk.
“Packaging has always been a priority for the dairy sector. Plastic packaging solutions have emerged as one of the most attractive options in dairy packaging innovation. They have introduced consumers to the simplest conveniences such as a longer shelf life, ease of handling consumption and convenience of storage,” pointed out Vimal Kedia, managing director, Manjushree Technopack.
Packaging, a sunrise sector in the modern marketing landscape, is now taking centrestage as far as perishables like milk are concerned.
For milk-based products, packaging is necessary for both presentation and preservation. The dairy sector has three options in packaging - viz. returnable containers (such as glass bottles); single-serve plastic bottles and polythene sachets, and aseptic tetrapacks for ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk.
Versions of dairy products are being offered in bottles (for instance, flavoured milk); cups or pouches (dahi); and barrier packs (paneer, cheese and ghee),” said Prof N C Saha, director and principal executive officer, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP).
“In this regard, IIP has commenced research on a viable packaging solution to increase their shelf life from 10 hours to 75 days with high-barrier properties for oxygen and carbon dioxide,” he added.
“This would prove that wonders could be achieved with innovative and attractive polymeric materials. A visible trend is the shift towards high-barrier packaging, which is shelf-stable,” noted Prof Saha.
India is one of the world’s largest milk producer. Its output has been pegged at three billion litre per day, and it is registering a growth of 15 per cent. The global production is at 20 billion litres per day.
“Rabobank estimated that the organised dairy industry would double from the current $10 billion to $24 billion by 2020,” said Anup Bagchi, senior vice-president, Reliance Industries Limited.
“Operation Flood changed the face of Indian dairy. And now with PET packaging, the Indian dairy industry will go for an operations facelift,” he added. It is seeking aesthetic appeal, ease of handling and availability and cost-effectiveness.
“In the area of milk packaging, plastic pouches, plastic bottles, tetra packs and glass bottles are in vogue. There is a need to up the visibility of the product. It should ensure stability to light and ultra-violet (UV) rays allowing quality retention,” said Shrikant Agarkar of Italy’s GEA Procomac.
He added that the packaging should enable filling productivity. “Another vital aspect is that any packaging for milk should be of utmost consumer convenience,” Agarkar said.
GEA is engaged in designing, manufacturing and installing complete aseptic and traditional filling lines, not only for dairy products, but also for juices, teas, isotonics, still soft drinks and water.
Milk in PET
A number of dairy majors unveiled convenient packaging designs. The packaging of fresh milk in PET by Gowardhan has become a milestone. The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) has launched Amul lassi and flavoured milk in PET. And its positive response has triggered expansion and interest by other dairies.
“There is a big opportunity for large dairies to invest in aseptic packaging lines,” noted Paul Schönheit, project engineer, Aseptic Technology, Krones AG, Germany.
Adulteration-proof
The key advantage of plastic hermetically-sealed milk packs is that there is no chance for adulteration. It is convenient to use, light, unbreakable and easy to manufacture. It can withstand temperatures of upto 121°C. Moreover, there is scope for many designs, shapes and sizes.
In the production of PET, less energy is utilised (vis-a-vis glass). Moreover, there are adequate savings on logistics due to its low weight and unbreakable nature. Other big advantages are its recyclability and reclosability. And there are new features, such as zips, locks and seals.
Machinfabrik Industries is a company that favours PET, terming it most useful for packing products such as milk and flavoured milk.
Guard against bacteria
Anand Kotwal, director, Machinfabrik Retort Systems, said, “Milk is a perishable commodity which spoils very easily. Its low acidity and high nutrient content make it the perfect breeding medium for bacteria, including pathogens, which are a major cause of food poisoning.”
“So, the dairy industry should be concerned about sanitation and guard against bacteria coming from animals, utensils, hands, insects etc,” he added.
“It must also ensure proper thermal treatment to ensure the safe delivery of milk with a reasonable shelf life to customers. Therefore, terminal sterilisation of milk is the need of the hour, and dairies must opt for the right technology,” Kotwal said.
“In terminal sterilisation, there is no chance of the recontamination of the sterile product. However, the same cannot be said about bulk-sterilised product like ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, as they are treated in bulk before being filled into the final container. Hence aseptic filling and sterile empty containers are a must after UHT,” said Kotwal, adding that for the product to be terminally sterilised, the container need not be sterile before filling.
“This is where the advent of plastics, which are transparent, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is opaque, has changed the scene. Both resins are easily available in the right grades and are compatible with food products, including milk,” Kotwal added.
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