Huhtamaki has introduced recyclable single coated paper cups designed for yogurt and other dairy products, said to contain less than 10% plastic content and be fully recyclable in Europe.
The company says that the packaging solution meets the high food safety requirements for yogurt and delivers a lower polymer content than traditional alternative products. It adds that ProDairy is manufactured in Europe using paperboard made with renewable wood fibres, sourced from sustainably managed forests.
According to Huhtamaki, one of the significant challenges in reducing polymer content in dairy packaging is ensuring a perfect seal and lid fit to the flat rim. The company has sought to address this by developing a rim design and rim forming process which ensures ‘excellent top rim sealing’.
ProDairy also features a proprietary sealing varnish technology developed at Huhtamaki, which the company says has been stringently and comprehensively tested.
“Our team has identified a varnish to replace the outer polyethylene layer which maintains a paper-like feel with a matt finish and provides a high moisture barrier for products stored in chilled conditions. This is important for manufacturers, retailers and consumers, ensuring that our unique product delivers the functional performance of traditional paper cups with a lower plastic content, while still being fully recyclable,” says Fredrik Davidsson, president of Fiber Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania at Huhtamaki.
Huhtamaki adds that the new product is ready for deployment with customers.
In similar news, Berry Global and Stora Enso designed a custom version of Berry’s CombiLight pot for Finnish brand Valio’s PROfeel protein puddings. Aiming to help the company meet its commitment to reduce plastic usage by 15% in its single-use single-serve packaging by 2026, the pot design also seeks to reduce food waste and features improved print quality.
Indian dairy company MilkyMist teamed up with SIG and AnaBio Technologies last year to introduce the ‘world’s first’ long-life probiotic buttermilk in aseptic carton packs. AnaBio’s technology is said to protect the probiotics with a protein coat, ensuring they withstand high temperatures during buttermilk processing and remain stable throughout the product’s shelf life.
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