The International FoodTec Award 2024 was awarded to 14 innovation projects from the international food and supplier industry. Four innovations received the International FoodTec Award in gold, ten were awarded a silver medal. Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG received the International FoodTec Award 2024 in Gold for the ConProSachet system: Sustainable packaging made of alginate.
With increasing environmental concerns and consumer preferences for environmentally friendly products, there is a growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions. The Handtmann ConProSachet system is a new process for packaging liquid or pasty products, such as gels, beverages or sauces, in sachets. The preferred packaging material for flowpack machines has been and continues to be plastic films. There are already many approaches to reduce the use of (single-use) plastics as packaging material. The trend is towards very thin, recyclable films or films that are biodegradable within 24 months according to DIN standard EN 13432A. A disadvantage is the large amount of effort required for disposal after use. A significant part of the material is not recycled, but incinerated or often simply disposed of.
The ConProSachet system does not use prefabricated plastic film for the casing, but alginate. The alginate casing is produced in a co-extrusion process at the same time as the filling of the respective product. In the process, the casing gels around the product and is sealed. The alginate sachets are edible or can be easily disposed of after use. They biodegrade in just a few weeks. The system is energy-efficient, intuitive to use and can be quickly converted to different sachet sizes. It offers the industry new opportunities to replace plastic films, which are increasingly unpopular with consumers but are often used as packaging material in flowpack machines, and thus reduce plastic waste. Alginate, which is extracted from algae, is an ecological and sustainable, biodegradable alternative raw material and is therefore another approach to solve existing packaging problems. It is suitable for a wide range of applications, taking into account its limitations, such as lower stability, different barrier properties and no possibility of resealing the packaging. For more visit handtmann.de
