Extrusion International 2-2024

21 Extrusion International 2/2024 New Sustainable Packaging Fresh produce packaging pioneers StePacPPC has cus- tomized its award-winning modified atmosphere pack - aging (MAP) films to preserve fresh whole and sliced white mushrooms, and whole exotic mushrooms. The lean MAP system fulfills consumer demands for sustain - able packaging that slows deterioration and dramati- cally reduces waste of this highly perishable item. The appetite for mushrooms has been growing rap- idly based on their health halo and being a vegan source of meaty umami flavor and texture. Yet mushrooms also have a very short shelf life. Growers and shippers are constantly grappling with these challenges, striving to improve mushroom storage capabilities and curb waste. StePacPPC’s latest advancement in its packaging for- mats is designed specifically to maintain the freshness of whole and sliced white mushrooms, and whole ex- otic mushrooms. The customized films significantly slow down decay and reduce weight loss of costly culinary delicacies, preserving texture, nutrition, and flavor thereby effectively diminishing a considerable amount of waste and cost. The high water-vapor transmission rate of StePacPPC films, coupled with the customized modified atmo - sphere properties, have proven ideal for preserving the quality of both whole and sliced mushrooms, at once slowing respiration and aging, reducing dehydration, and expelling excess moisture from the packaging. StePacPPC’s packaging first demonstrated its poten - tial for mushroom preservation during the Covid pan- demic. Oyster mushroom farmers found themselves with backlogs of produce due to the logistical standstills. StePacPPC’s Xtend® bulk packaging solutions were in- strumental in helping prolong storage in the cold stor- age, effectively mitigating waste. Since then, the company has developed Xtend bulk packaging solutions for lion’s mane, shiitake and por- tabella. More recently, StePacPPC and its longstanding part- ner, Windham Packaging, LLC, completed the adapta- tion of its Xflow™ brand of roll-stock films for automat - ed packing to meet the specific preservation needs of bulk fresh sliced white mushrooms. StePacPPC’s newest Xflow solutions already are gain - ing momentum in North America, where they are pre- serving the quality of bulk-packed sliced mushrooms for foodservice outlets such as restaurants and hotels. These lean and sustainable packaging formats can optionally be produced with 30% recycled material to support a circular economy. This is in conjunction to its longstanding use of mechanically recycled content. StePacPPC www.StePacppc.com PFAS-Free Additives for the Plastics Industry Tosaf has developed processing aids for the extrusion of polyolefins that do not contain fluoroelastomers. They can be used without restriction in place of conven- tional products currently affected by the PFAS debate, are suitable for a wide range of film applications, and they meet the requirements of the FDA and EFSA for use in contact with food. While AP9709PE EU provides enhanced rheological properties, AP9711PE EU is the grade of choice if the focus is on optical properties, in- cluding clarity and haze. In laboratory tests, Tosaf compared the processing properties of a metallocene PE-LLD with those of com- pounds based on it. One of these contained Tosaf's standard fluoroelastomer-based processing aid (AP - 5645PE EU), while the comparison materials contained the alternative PFAS-free products. The results for the flow behaviour in the capillary rheometer and for the pressure reduction in the extruder die were largely con- sistent. The comparison of the optical properties – light transmission, haze and clarity – even showed slight ad- vantages of the PFAS-free solutions over both the pure PE-LLD and the compound with the previous standard processing aid. The coefficient of friction (COF) showed a negligibly lower value for the film produced with the PFAS-free solution. Current customer applications include a 5-layer coex- line using 1 % of Tosaf's PFAS-free processing aid AP- 9709PE EUin the outer layer. Compared to a standard PFAS-based processing aid, this enables a 5°C to 10°C lower melt temperature and shows a significant lower occurrence of melt fracture as well as improved optical properties such as haze. The films can be printed, sealed and laminated without any problems. Tosaf Compounds Ltd. www.tosaf.com Tosaf's new PFAS-free processing aids can be used in a variety of packaging applications in place of conventional products (© PlasticTime)