| Manufacturers of food products face a unique | | | | then batch or gang retorting it through a thermal |
| challenge: making their product look fun, | | | | process that cooks and sterilizes the product and |
| innovative, and appealing to consumers while | | | | package. At the end of the process, the package |
| simultaneously ensuring that the product remains | | | | is still stable enough to sit on a shelf, but without |
| fresh and preserved in its package. For years, | | | | all of the bulkiness and wasted material of the |
| food suppliers have been limited in what they | | | | metal cans or glass containers that were once |
| could do with packaging, until recently. | | | | used to house products of this nature. |
| There is no question that most grocery shoppers | | | | Retort pouch technology is the answer to a |
| want the food products they buy to be as | | | | growing consumer demand for easy-to-use, |
| convenient as possible. The less time they have | | | | convenient products that save time and eliminate |
| to spend preparing a meal, the better. This has | | | | excess waste. Some manufacturers have even |
| posed many challenges to makers of food | | | | chosen to use pouches that do not contain any |
| products that require cooking or some other type | | | | aluminum, making it safe for end users to warm |
| of preparation before eating. But new advances in | | | | up the package in a microwave oven. |
| packaging technology have begun to revolutionize | | | | Packaging insiders say that retort technology is |
| the marketing and merchandising of food | | | | best for products like tuna fish and pre-cooked |
| products. | | | | rice or meat products. They even say that |
| With the emergence of flexible packaging and | | | | products prepared using this method actually |
| barrier film technology to the market, food | | | | taste better that products stored in glass or |
| manufacturers are now being presented with | | | | metal! This is because these packages are |
| many new packaging options, where they used to | | | | typically constructed from a variety of different |
| have but a few. For example, pouches made | | | | layers that conduct heat better than traditional |
| from specialty film combinations make it possible | | | | packaging materials. As a result, processing time is |
| for a consumer to purchase rice already cooked | | | | shorter and at lower temperatures, leading to a |
| and ready to serve, whereas in the past they | | | | better-tasting product. |
| would have to prepare the rice themselves. | | | | Any which way you slice it, the use of flexible |
| The reason this is possible is because of retort | | | | packaging and retort pouch technology can really |
| technology, an advanced manufacturing process | | | | heat up your profits - and what a tasty treat |
| that begins by filling and sealing a flexible pouch, | | | | that can be! |