The traditional method for packaging shelf stable food was retorting products after packing in metal cans or foil pouches. Retorting changes the “texture” of foods where some contents are over heated and the center under heated due to the nature of the retort process. Working with a major food company a plastic body with an easy open aluminum lid was developed for convenience store single service foods.

The molded plastic body was polypropylene blended w/oxygen barrier EVOH and a easy open aluminum lid flange that is rolled on to make a hermetic seal to the plastic body. The filled container is retorted in an over-pressure retort conveyer(not batch vessel), cooled and labeled for shipment.

The plastic body reduced cost by eliminating metal body, lowered shipping weight and provided consumer friendly microwaveable container. This development led to incorporating oxygen barriers in films, metalizing and barrier coatings for flexible film packaging and formulations for rigid containers in use today.

Barrier plastic formulations have eliminated retort food preservation and is changing the way packaging lines are designed. In these cases foods must be prepared under sterile conditions, and packaged under these same conditions.

This requires plant cleanliness, positive air displacement and closed environment for filling and sealing a food package. Plant cleanliness is “key” as microorganisms can multiply rapidly reducing shelf life dating and could even require a costly product recall. Microporus films were developed to package salads that controlled fruit respiration rates extending product quality.

The product worked fine however the company that purchased the technology soon found out that plant sanitary conditions were inadequate and negated perceived benefits. This prompted up-grading sanitation conditions something they did not consider at the time. These are details that ToP Inc. covers in the development of new packaging materials, plant and production line design, and automation to overcome these problems at the beginning not after a problem occurs.