Improvements in aluminium oxide (AlOx) and silicon oxide (SiOx) barriers for clear flexibles have persuaded Mondi Packaging to invest in a new single-serve food pouch.
The company's flexibles business, based in Austria, first developed a new three-layer material using SiOx or AlOx as a barrier in the transparent film. Marketing manager Alexandra Lindenthal says: "It is not only the vacuum deposition technology used which has improved over recent years, but also the barrier properties of the materials." While the cost of vacuum deposition has decreased, says Lindenthal, it remains one of the most expensive forms of barrier.
The pouches can be retorted and microwaved, and provide shelf-life of up to one year, depending on product.