Recorded Wednesday, September 28 – Presented by PolyOne
THE CHALLENGE
PET continues to grow in popularity as an effective packaging material for beverage applications. It is robust, lighter in weight compared to other materials such as glass and metal, and easily recyclable. The material also offers a high degree of design flexibility that enables packaging designers to differentiate their products.
However, like glass, transparent PET offers limited protection against ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. Many of today’s beverages are sensitive to UV light, or contain ingredients that are not stable in the presence of UV. This is typical with beverages that are rich in vitamins, coloured or contain flavouring.
WHY IS EXPOSURE TO UV LIGHT A CONCERN?
UV light causes photo-oxidative degradation which can adversely affect the taste, odor or color of a beverage. Degradation will affect shelf life, but it could also damage the image and integrity of a brand if consumers have a negative experience with the product.
Methods used today to protect UV-sensitive products can be limiting for packaging designers. For juice or energy drinks, clear or transparent packaging allows brands to showcase the contents and position a brand as ‘premium’ on the store shelves.
A lack of UV protection in clear and transparent packaging can affect beverage formulators, who are limited to creating products that are ‘UV-safe’ or contain preservatives to counter the risk associated with UV exposure. There is growing consumer demand for healthier, preservative-free foods and beverages, and this often involves using an increasing number of UV-sensitive ingredients.
The industry is taking a closer look at how PET packaging and beverage content function together to develop products that have aesthetic appeal, are easy to recycle and most importantly, reduce the risk of inferior product quality.
THE SOLUTION
Join us for our Webinar on How to Optimize PET Packaging for Food Content Protection to find out how Ultimate UV390 can help you.
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