Aseptic packaging involves sterilizing products and packaging materials under sterile conditions to prevent contamination and extend shelf life without refrigeration. It allows foods to be stored at ambient temperatures for months. The key aspects are pre-sterilizing the product using techniques like UHT and sterilizing packaging materials using methods like heat, chemicals, or radiation. Filled packages are then sealed quickly to maintain sterility. Common packaging types for aseptic storage include cartons, bags, bottles and cans. Aseptic packaging provides benefits like convenience, food safety, long shelf life and nutrient retention compared to canning.
2. Why Foods are processed?
• Increase Shelf life of product
• Availability of commodity throughout year
• Wide range of products can be produce
• Convenience for consumer
3. How Foods products are
processed ?
• By Application of heat – Aseptic packaging
• By Removal of heat
• By Irradiation
• By Addition of sugar / salt / Additive
• Minimal Processing
• By Altering surrounding of product
4. Aseptic Packaging-
• It is defined as the filling of a commercially sterile
product into a sterile container under aseptic
conditions and hermetically sealing the containers so
that reinfection is prevented.
• This results in a product which is shelf stable at
ambient conditions.
• The term aseptic is derived from the Greek word
“septicos” which means the absence of putrefactive
micro organisms.
5. • There are two specific fields of application of aseptic
packaging technology-
1. Packaging of pre-sterilised and sterile products.
E.g. Milk and dairy products, puddings, desserts, fruit
and vegetables.
2. Packaging of non-sterile products to avoid infection
by micro-organism
E.g. Fermented dairy products like yoghurt.
6. • Aseptic packaging technology is fundamentally
different from that of conventional food processing
by canning.
• In canning, the process begins with treating the food
prior to filling.
• Initial operations inactivate enzymes so that these
will not degrade the product during processing.
• The package is cleaned, and the product is
introduced into the package, usually hot.
• Generally, air that can cause oxidative damage is
removed from the interior.
7. • The package is hermetically sealed and then
subjected to heating.
• The package must be able to withstand heat up to
about 100°C for high acid products and up to 127°C
for low acid products.
• Figure 1 is a simple illustration comparing the basic
difference between conventional canning and
aseptic packaging processes for the production of
shelf-stable food products.
9. Aseptic Processing – Methodology
Aseptic processing comprises the following:
• Sterilisation of the products before filling.
• Sterilisation of packaging materials or containers and
closures before filling
• Sterilisation of aseptic installations before operation (UHT
unit, lines for products, sterile air and gases, filler and
relevant machine zones)
• Maintaining sterility in this total system during operation
10. Sterilization of Products
• In aseptic processing, the design to achieve
commercial stability is based on the well-founded
principles of thermal bacteriology and integrated
effect of time/temperature treatment on spores of
micro-organisms.
• Pre-sterilization of a product usually consists of
heating the product to the desired UHT temperature,
maintaining this temperature for a given period in
order to achieve the desired degree of sterility.
11. Some of the latest methods of
sterilisation of products include:
1. Microwaves
2. Electrical resistance heating
3. High voltage discharge
4. Ultra high pressure
5. Sterilization of air by incineration
12. Sterilisation of Aseptic Packaging
Materials and Equipment
• Primary packaging Material
Tetrapack – LD / Al foil / Paperboard
Aseptic Bulk pack – EVOH / Al foil / LD
Glass bottle
FFS cartons
• Secondary packaging Material
Tetrapack – pack in corrugated tray with shrink wrapping
Aseptic Bulk pack – CFB boxes (25 kg) – Bag in box
Aseptic Bulk pack – Plastic Drums (50 kg)
Aseptic Bulk pack – MS Drum (225 kg)
13. Heat
• Systems employing moist heat are frequently
sterilized at temperatures ranging from 121°C to
129°C, while 176°C to 232°C is used for sterilization
by dry heat.
• Sterilization of air by incineration: Temperature
ranging from 260°C to 315°C.
14. Chemicals
• Hydrogen peroxide (at concentrations of 30 to 35%)
is the overwhelming choice for use as a chemical
sterilant.
• Some other chemicals are various acids, ethanol,
ethylene oxide and peracetic acid.
15. Radiation
• Gamma-radiation has been used for decades to
decontaminate packaging materials for use in aseptic
systems for packing acid and acidified food.
• A dose of approximately 1.5 Megaradians (Mrad) is
commonly used to decontaminate containers for
acid and acidified food.
• Ultraviolet (UV-C) light has been used to
decontaminate food contact surfaces.
16. Types of Aseptic Packs
• Carton Boxes, Bags and Pouches, Cups and Trays,
Bottles and Jars, Metal Cans, Plastic Cans, Composite
Cans are used for packaging.
17. Integrity Check for Aseptic
Packaging material
• Teardown test – Sealing strength
• Electrolytic Test – Pinhole testing
• Dye test – For pinholes in laminated cartons
• Sterility check
18. Composition of Tetra Pak Aseptic
Cartons
• Tetra Pak aseptic cartons are made of three basic
materials that together result in a very efficient, safe
and light-weight package.
• Each material provides a specific function Figure.
• Benefits:
Higher degree of safety, hygiene and nutrient
retention in food; Preserving taste and freshness;
Can be kept for months with no need for
refrigeration; Efficient.
20. Type of Package Forms available in
India
• In India, Tetra Pak offers the following
packaging systems currently:
TBA: Tetra Brik Aseptic
TCA: Tetra Classic Aseptic
TFA: Tetra Fino Aseptic
TWA: Tetra Wedge Aseptic
21. Advantages of Aseptic Packaging:
Convenience
Aseptic packages are portable, lightweight, and shatterproof
and easily transportable
Food Safety
The aseptic process and carton together ensure that the
liquid food or beverage inside is free from harmful bacteria
and contaminants.
No refrigeration required
Long shelf life
More nutrition
Compared with canning, products can retain more nutrients
as well as natural taste, colour and texture
Low Packaging to product ratio
22. Limitations
• Plant Installation cost is high as compare to canning
• Gas transmission rate of Aseptic bag/ package
• Overcooked flavour in some products
• Lack of equipment for particulate sterilization, due
especially to settling of solids and thus over
processing