| Through aseptic
filling method, processors can achieve a shelf
life without the use of preservatives or refrigeration.
Aseptic filling can also help to extend the shelf
life of existing products, allowing companies
to consolidate operations and extend their distribution
chain. Aseptic filling is known for quite some
time, and always involves heating. However, recently
Aseptic cold filling has been introduced.
Aseptic cold filling (ACF) requires separate sterilization of the product, bottles/cartons and their closures. The sterilized product is then packaged in a sealed-off sterile environment and the container sealed under aseptic conditions. With aseptic cold filling systems, bottles are sterilized in �dry� or �wet� sterilization processes. Wet sterilization uses peroxyacetic acid to sterilize the PET and HDPE containers, while dry sterilization calls for spraying the containers inside and out with a hydrogen peroxide mist. Filling machines used in the cold aseptic process are also getting smaller as the clean rooms that are needed for this procedure have shrunk in size, and are now no larger than the housings of the production units. Insulator technology has allowed companies to reduce by 80% the clean room volume of two-lane rotary machines used in the filling lines.
These developments will continue a s the time progresses consumers' expectations of healthier foods along with increased concerns about food safety risks continue to increase. |
