With the aim of answering the need for recycle-ready retort packaging, ProAmpac has announced a new patent-pending innovation: ProActive Recycle Ready Retort RT-3000.
Suited for pet and human food, RT-3000 pouches are available in both stand-up and three-side seal configurations and are EU and FDA compliant for food contact in retort applications.
According to ProAmpac, the mono-material RT-3000 has been designed to run at similar filling and processing speeds as current multi-material structures that aren’t recyclable.
Available in clear or opaque options, the company says that RT-3000 offers “excellent stiffness” for stand-up shelf appearance and “very high puncture and flex-crack resistance” for safe product handling and distribution.
Commenting on the background of the product, Hesam Tabatabaei, vice president of product development and innovation at ProAmpac, said: “The multi-year development included successful validation on commercial high-speed filling lines and qualification in commercial retort chambers. RT-3000 delivers exceptional thermal stability, excellent stain and grease resistance, easy-open tear performance, and a superior oxygen and moisture barrier.
Able to withstand aggressive retort conditions of 130C without sacrificing barrier properties, RT-3000 has been successfully tested in advance of our commercialization.”
Nathan Klettlinger, market segment manager at ProAmpac, added: “This was a significant journey spanning many years. We used our significant expertise in retort pouch production for the food and pet food markets to understand critical parameters which include excellent abuse resistance, maintaining barrier properties after retort, and filling-machine efficiency requirements.
“Our innovation team developed a product that can be manufactured on a high-speed pouching line while meeting the critical application requirements. We also partnered with key customers to verify and optimize product-filling efficiency and the ability to withstand the retort process, and to meet post retort testing requirements.
“To understand recycle streams, we reached out to sustainability organizations such as CEFLEX as well as advanced recycling firms that provided insight and information about the optimal characteristics of a recycle-ready construction.”
