New ice pack sealing technology from Hydropac seeks to enhance the cold chain logistics of pet food by improving insulation, increasing leak resistance, and keeping temperature-sensitive products cooler for longer.
Traditional ice pack solutions come in the form of tubes filled with liquid. According to Hydropac, these designs risk spoiling products and packaging with leaks and condensation; they can also fail to maintain a consistent temperature, becoming too cold in certain areas and not cold enough in others.
Instead, the new ice pack technology seals all four sides of the ice pack with two layers of material, applied using Hydropac’s ‘meticulous’ sealing technique. In doing so, the company claims to maximize insulation and prevent temperature fluctuations during transportation.
The technology is designed to achieve leak resistance, and its burst strength has been tested to over 200kg. Both factors are expected to reduce the risk of product damage and contamination – preserving a product’s nutritional value and freshness.
Manufacturing ice packs in this way is expected to extend cooling duration. This is set to benefit perishable pet food items, especially those undergoing long-distance transportation and delivery routes, by preventing them from spoiling en route.
Additionally, the technology enables the creation of multiple pockets within the ice pack – unlocking more control over the length, width, and other dimensions of the pack. Hydropac asserts that its technology is compatible with a range of packaging formats and customizable according to the requirements of individual manufacturers and distributors.
Cat Mitton, customer experience manager at Hydropac, commented: “Our innovation in ice pack sealing technology is designed to address the specific challenges faced by the many industries that rely on quality and efficient cold chain transportation.
“With pet owners increasingly prioritizing the health and well-being of their furry companions, it’s crucial for the pet food industry to uphold stringent standards in product safety and quality assurance and this includes transportation and packaging.
“We aim to set a new standard for reliability, quality, and efficiency in pet food cold chain logistics.”
At last year’s Sustainability Awards, Ranpak reached the finals in the commercialized E-commerce category with its total cold chain packaging solutions. This includes its RecyCold cool packs and RecyCold climaliner, its paper-based thermal liner.
easy2cool also integrated Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper into its paperfloc Eco-Liner e-commerce bag, replacing the previous plastic outer layer. This was a move hoped to help the company create a 100% paper-based packaging solution for fresh and frozen food.
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