Uflex, India´s largest FMCG packing company, said it developed a melanin free version of acrylic coated BOPET film used in food packaging and other industries.
The company has developed clear transparent film that can be used in conversion, printing, hot fill, retort, pasteurisation and sterilisation among other applications, the Indian packaging solutions provider said. BOPET is made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is used to make bottles in India.
BoPET is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate and is used for its high tensile strength, chemical and dimensional stability, transparency, reflectivity, gas and aroma barrier properties, and electrical insulation.
Melamine, a synthetic triazine compound and an organic base is known to impart scratch, wear and puncture resistance to packaging films thereby enhancing the strength of the ensuing laminate structure, but the cons of the compound over weigh its pros, the company said.
The contamination of pet food with melamine and its analogue cyanuric acid led to kidney failure in thousands of dogs and cats in North America in 2007 drawing much flak.
A year later in 2008, melamine again made headlines as it was detected in powdered milk to make infant formula, the compound was associated with kidney disease in babies. This caused the growth in demand for melamine free packaging from western food and beverages brands.
¨The trials conducted at the plant have yielded good results in terms of nil melamine content, good printability and enhanced lamination bond. The film exhibits good transparency and clarity along with excellent machinability and handling properties,¨ said the FMCG company.
One side primer coating provides emphatic adhesion with inks and adhesives. The acrylic coated surface is also recommended for surface printing.
The other side of film surface can be corona treated for value addition. The film possesses good mechanical, surface & thermal properties and ensuring excellent process-ability. This film has been specially developed for FFS machines (Form Fill Seal machines).
¨The films FLEXPET” and FLEXMET PROTECT”(Grade F-AMF) are manufactured with monomers/starting substances listed in commission regulation (EU) 10/2011 relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come in contact with foodstuffs. All additives used are listed in the plastic regulation (EU) 10/2011. The additives also Comply with the BFR (German federal Institute for Risk Assessment, previously known as BgW& BGA) Recommendation XVII, Polyterephthalic acid diolesters,¨ said the Indian company.
“Looking into the growing consciousness towards health, this Film has been particularly developed amid increasing demand from our customers globally,” said Pramod Sirsamkar, President – Technical & New Product Development (Films) at Uflex Limited.
“Melamine Free Acrylic Coated Bi-axially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) film is safe and this film exhibits excellent transparency, gloss and printability making it an absolute delight for the converters,¨ said Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited
Uflex, founded in 1983, is India’s largest end-to-end flexible packaging company
The company has packaging facilities across India with installed capacity of around 100,000 TPA and has packaging film manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico, Egypt, Poland and USA with installed capacity in excess of 337,000 TPA.
Some of Uflex’s clients on the global turf include P&G, PepsiCo, Tata Global, Mondelez, L’Oreal, Britannia, Haldiram’s, Amul, Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson among others.