PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2014

41 PET planet insider Vol. 15 No. 03/14 www.petpla.net BEVERAGES / INGREDIENTS systems dedicated to monitoring line status and events, improves produc- tion traceability and can even be used to improve line efficiency. The role of PET packaging Packaging plays a vital role in protecting the safety of our food and drink. When in direct contact with its contents, packaging needs to meet the very highest standards of safety, hygiene and legislative requirements in order to maintain product quality and safety. Whether the beverage is packaged in can, glass, carton or PET, every component of the produc- tion line that comes into contact with the contents to be consumed has to be carefully designed to meet these high standards. This also applies to the packag- ing itself for which the choices of material and barriers are equally important and usually determined by the required shelf life and consumer expectations of the finished drink. As a material of choice for primary packaging for drinks, PET has been successfully in use for over 30 years with no reported adverse effects. This is because it is a biologically inert plastic, for which the constituent materials are well defined, needing no additives for enhanced perfor- mance and for which the manufactur- ing process is equally standardised. It has been thoroughly reviewed as a primary packaging material and fully approved by international safety agencies such as the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Suppliers of PET resin are required to produce two different certificates demonstrating approval of use for their material in direct con- tact with food: the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) which provides information regarding the actual plastic resin, its constituent parts and its compliance with food regulations; and the Technical Data Sheet (TDS) related to the performance charac- teristics of the plastic. The regula- tions covering the use of recycled PET (RPET) are somewhat different. Unlike the virgin material, a list of pos- sible recycling processes is published by EFSA. Yet no list of approved RPET material exists, neither does a list of approved RPET material sup- pliers. PET protects the sensitive Used to protect sensitive bever- ages such as beer, juice and milk products from light and oxygen, ‘bar- rier’ PET can extend the shelf life of products and improve their look and taste. Regulations and legislation Experience the Limits! Inspection Systems for Barrier Enhanced Containers www.intravis.com Booth E1T09