Low-Acid Teas on Tetra Pak Aseptic PET Line
In a packaging industry first, Uni-President Enterprises of Taiwan has introduced a range of low-acid tea drinks packed on a "small-chamber" aseptic PET line from Tetra Pak Plastic Packaging Division (Geneva, Switzerland).
The new low-acid drinks include tea with milk, previously available only in cartons, and a new mixture of oolong, green and black teas. A second variety of tea with milk will follow.
The new products are packaged on a Tetra Plast RFA-40 aseptic PET line, in uniquely designed and labeled 600-ml bottles.
The RFA-40 line operating at Uni-President's Yang Mai plant, near Taipei, is the first of its type in the world to pack low-acid drinks for commercial distribution, according to Tetra Pak. Other RFA-40 aseptic PET lines, operating in Europe and the Middle East, so far have packed only high-acid products, the company says.
Thus far Uni-President has launched the ‘It's On My Mind' brand of ‘Royal' green tea with milk in 600-ml aseptic PET bottles. The ‘Regular' flavor of the same brand is planned for launch this summer. The ‘It's On My Mind' drinks are already a popular item in Taiwan, packed in Tetra Brik Aseptic cartons.
The totally new low-acid oolong, green and black tea blend, ‘Liu Cha', was introduced to Taiwan in May. It is being touted as an on-the-go refreshment beverage for the 15-25 age group.
Like other RFA-40 systems installed internationally, the new Uni-President RFA-40 aseptic PET line for low-acid products began production with a high-acid product; ‘Go Young' fruit-flavored ‘near-water', in 600-ml bottles. Later, other high-acid products were added, such as the ‘Pro Sweat' sports drink.
However, Tetra Pak food technology specialists continued working in partnership with Uni-President to validate the line for low-acid products. In April, this year, the line passed its final low-acid validation tests.
Said Tetra Pak Taiwan managing director, Jan Juul Larsen, "It is a particular pleasure for me and my team that Uni-President has become the first in the world to validate a Tetra Pak aseptic PET line for low-acid beverages. This is a significant step for Tetra Pak, globally, as well as an important step in our continuing relationship with Uni-President."
The Tetra Plast RFA-40 "small-chamber" aseptic PET filler requires no clean room and is capable of running up to 12,000 bottles/hour, in sizes between 500-ml and 1.5-L.
Key indicators of aseptic performance in the current model RFA-40 filler include a bacteria kill rate greater than log 5 reduction, achieved using a sterilizing "fog" of Divosan Active. Peroxide residue levels in the sterilized and rinsed bottles are less than 2 ppm.
In addition to the RFA-40 line already installed in Taiwan, Tetra Pak has commercialized aseptic PET fillers in Italy, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland.
For more information: Tetra Pak Plastic Packaging Division, Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 979 1718, Fax: +41 22 879 1902