US-based Whole Foods Market has repackaged its tortilla chips with India’s Uflex to prevent product spoilage, wastage whilst maintaining a green look.
Whole Foods Market found the multi-layer Kraft paper institutional bags with a biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) sealant layer were not providing enough barrier to tortilla chips from oxygen and moisture.
The chips would turn soggy and rancid in three weeks.
The paper were found to be torn in the supply chain or ruptured by sharp edges of tortilla chips.
In addition, fabrication of multi-layer Kraft paper packs is an expensive proposition that requires specialized equipment at the converters’ end with prohibitive capital costs.
Printing on paper poses further limitations diminishing the aesthetics of the pack.
The bags of net weight 454 g had to be cut open from the top for taking the chips out and leaving the consumer with no option other than consuming all of it in one go with no provision for deferred consumption without spoilage.
The engineers at Uflex designed a three layered; 12.5 micron coated Polyester / 18 micron BOPP (both sides treated) / 35 micron polyethylene (PE) packaging structure as a three dimensional (3D) flat bottom pouch.
Polyester provides excellent barrier from oxygen and also exhibits good thermal resistance owing to its melting temperature that is as high as 150-160 degrees Centigrade.
BOPP acts as a strong barrier to moisture.
PE serves as a sealant layer besides imparting strength and sturdiness to the pouch.
To impart a paper-like organic look, special registered matte coating was applied on the glossy polyester film.
The pouch is reverse printed and the same machine can carry out the registered top coating either in matte or gloss thereby rendering a transparent window.
A concealed press-to-close or PTC pocket zipper has been provided on the front panel of the 3D pouch with a perforated strip for easy opening and protecting the product for deferred use without any fear of spoilage.
