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its ability to ﬁll these socioeconomic needs. Below are some

major socioeconomic forces driving the food packaging

industry.

. Consumer lifestyle. This lifestyle is the need that

drives innovations in conveniently packaged foods.

In recent years, consumer lifestyle has been inﬂu-

enced greatly by the aging population, increasing

number of smaller families, single-person house-

holds, and dual-income families. As a result, the

consumer is increasingly demanding food products

that are convenient, good tasting, safe, wholesome,

and nutritious. This change has also created oppor-

tunities for innovative food packaging to satisfy

target consumers of diverse demographics. For in-

stance, packaging has played an important role in

the development of convenient food products, such

as on-the-go snacks, microwavable foods, and refri-

gerated meals (also known as meal solutions).

. Value. This need, deﬁned as beneﬁts/cost ratio, is

driven by the consumer. Higher beneﬁts may be

achieved by enhancing the functions of packaging

to satisfy the unmet needs of the consumer. Lower

cost may be achieved by using less expensive packa-

ging materials, using high-speed machines to in-

crease productivity, and using more compact

package designs to reduce distribution cost. For

instance, material cost may be reduced by replacing

a thicker monolayer material with a thinner, multi-

layer material, production speed may be increased

by replacing double-seamed containers with heat

sealed containers, and distribution cost may be

reduced by replacing heavy glass containers with

plastic containers. In the efforts of reducing cost, it

is important that product quality and safety are not

signiﬁcantly compromised.

. Proﬁts. This need is driven by food companies to

maintain or grow their businesses. To earn proﬁts,

food companies frequently rely on packaging inno-

vations to meet the ever-changing market needs.

Proﬁts also spark intense competition in the packa-

ging industry to ﬁll the market needs. For example,

beverages may be packaged in different forms,

which include glass bottles, plastic bottles, alumi-

nium cans, and stand-up pouches—and this diver-

sity provides a battleground for packaging materials

suppliers to capture the market through optimiza-

tion or innovation.

. Food safety and biosecurity. This food security is the

need that drives innovations in protective food

packaging. Each year in the United States alone,

food-borne diseases cause approximately 76 million

illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5000 deaths.

Microbial contamination is a major cause of food-

borne illness that can occur during harvesting,

processing, distributing, handling, store display,

and food preparation. After the tragic event of

September 11, food bioterrorism (e.g., deliberate

contamination of commercial food products) has

become a serious public threat. Packaging can

effectively protect against microbial contamination

and product tampering. Innovative food packag-

ing, such as antimicrobial packaging, advanced

package integrity inspection systems, tamper-

evident packaging, and biochemical sensors are in-

creasingly sought to provide enhanced food safety

and biosecurity.

. Food packaging regulations. These regulations are

the needs that drive research and development that

relate to food packaging safety issues, such as the

migration of unwanted compounds from package to

food (especially during situations such as microwav-

ing) and the use of recycled materials in food

packages. The purpose of food packaging regulations

is to protect the consumer against unacceptable

levels of food contamination by packaging compo-

nents. This concept also has led to a continued

interest in studying the migration of packaging

components under various conditions and in devel-

oping sophisticated analytical methods to detect

volatile compounds at lower concentrations.

. Environmental concerns. These concerns drive in-

novations in environmentally friendly packaging. As

landﬁll sites are diminishing, packaging waste dis-

posal has become a major public concern in many

developed countries. A growing pressure exists for

the society to favor food packages that use less

material and are easy to reuse, recycle, or inciner-

ate. Also, a continued quest is underway for bio-

based and biodegradable packaging materials that

have good mechanical and barrier properties.

SOUS VIDE OR COOK/CHILL FOOD

PRODUCTS

DONG SUN LEE

Department of Food Science

and Biotechnology, Kyungnam

University, Masan, Gyeongnam,

Republic of Korea

The principle of conventional cook/chill processing is to

cook, chill, and hold the prepared food for later use,

providing time buffer in food service establishments or

at home. Sous vide processing and packaging is an im-

proved variant of the cook/chill process in which the

prepared foods or meals are vacuum-packed in a heat-

resistant barrier plastic pouches or trays, pasteurized in

hot water, and cooled rapidly. The products are stored by

the producer and distrbuted under chilled temperature

until mealtime. At the point of consumption, the sealed

package may be reheated in a hot-water bath or a combi-

nation steam oven; the food contents may be transferred to

another container to be heated on stovetop or inside a

microwave or conventional oven. Figure 1 presents typical

procedures of sous vide and cook/chill processing. The

1148 SOUS VIDE OR COOK/CHILL FOOD PRODUCTS

term sous vide emphasizes the vacuumed packaging con-

ditions of the cook/chilled products. There are wide varia-

tions of processes in application of this technology, and

thus in actual practice there are often no clear distinctions

between sous vide and cook/chill.

Sous vide (orignated from the term ‘under vaccum’ in

French) or cook/chill process has been used extensively to

produce pre-packaged refrigerated foods for both the retail

and institutional markets. The combination of mild heat

treatment and refrigeration can produce high-quality

ready-to-eat meals with extended shelf life. The sous

vide and cook/chill products in foodservice systems ensure

a time buffer providing the ﬂexibility of meal provision.

Increased demand for high-quality prepared foods and

productive food service operation from consumers and

catering industry has led to the rapid commercial devel-

opment of these new processes and packaging technolo-

gies. Particularly, the sous vide and cook/chill technology

enabled multiunit restaurant operators to develop a cen-

tralized kitchen system that prepares the foods centrally

and serves satellite food service locations with effective

inventroy control.

PROCESS AND PRODUCTS

Sous vide with Pasteurization

This method is basically a heat-cook of the product that

has been ﬁlled into a heat-resistant pack and hermetically

sealed under vacuum. The heat-cook achieves also pas-

teurization effect to inactivate vegetative microorganisms

and some spore formers. This process prevents postproces-

sing contamination and retains product quality attributes.

Foods such as meat, ﬁsh, poultry products, pasta, legumes,

or diced vegetables are prepared by this technique. This

technique has been most often employed for high-volume

uses of hotel, restaurant, and institutional foods, and

expanded to retail sector.

The initial preparation includes blanching, grilling,

searing, or mixing of meat, seafood, pasta, and/or vegeta-

bles. The prepared items or mix is assembled or packaged

in a pouch or tray, which is then vacuumized and sealed

hermetically. The products may be precooled prior to the

packaging step for controlling the vacuumization opera-

tion and attaining consistent temperature and quality.

The pasteurization or cooking step employs heating under

hot water, air/steam combination, or microwave. Hot

water may be used for immersing medium or spraying.

Usually the pasteurization process is determined based on

the product core temperature reaching 75–931C. Cooking

time and temperature depend on the product and shelf life

desired (see below). After cooking, the products must be

quickly chilled to o31C before distribution. The chilling

can be attained by agitated ice water bath or air-blast

chiller.

Resistance to high temperature (mostly up to 1001C) is

the primary requirement of the materials for sous vide

packaging. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypro-

pylene (PP), nylon, and ployethyelene tetrephthalate

(PET) are used in single-layer and/or laminated struc-

tures. For long-shelf-life products, a high oxygen barrier

layer of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) or ethylene vinyl

alcohol (EVOH) may be placed inside the multilayered

structures. For some meat products, a slight adhesion of

ﬁlm to the product to retain moisture and reduce purge is

desirable. Good abrasion resistance to withstand possible

abuses during distribution is also important. Depending

on the packaging equipment, bags, trays, casings, and roll

stock are available.

Ingredient preparation,

precooking

Packaging under vacuum

Cooking and hot

filling

Cooking and

pasteurization

Rapid cooling

Sealing and holding for

short time

Chilled storage and

distribution

Reheated serve

Cooling (optional)

Ingredient preparation,

cooking

Placing in pan or

container

Rapid cooling

Chilled storage and

distribution

Reheated serve

Cooling (optional)

(a)(b)

Figure 1. Typical procedures for manufac-

turing (a) sous vide products and (b) cook/

chill food products.

SOUS VIDE OR COOK/CHILL FOOD PRODUCTS 1149

Sous Vide with Hot Fill

Hot ﬁll is most often used for pumpable foods such as

soups, sauces, stews condiments, fruit-based beverages,

and toppings. The products are usually prepared in large,

steam-jacketed kettles and heated to a minimum tem-

perature of 851C. Products are then transferred via pump/

ﬁll stations into preformed clipped casings, or through a

vertical form/ﬁll/seal (VF/F/S) machine that uses roll

stock to create a ﬂexible pouch. Heating and ﬁlling

while maintaining that temperature helps to remove air

and attain pasteurization effect for the required shelf

life. Controlling the temperature of ﬁlling is critical for

ensuring the required pasteurization and safety of the

foods. The proper choice of cooking and packaging

equipment depends on the product and the volume re-

quirements. Pump/ﬁll stations and clipped casings work

best with low to moderate volumes of production.

Sustained, high-volume production of a single product is

done most efﬁciently with VF/F/S equipment and roll

stock ﬁlm.

For maximum shelf life, air inside the casings or

pouches must be removed during the packaging process,

and rapid chilling is needed to preserve the ﬂavor and

nutritional characteristics of the food. For food safety, the

product temperature is recommded to be reduced to 31Cin

less than 2 h. Tumble chillers are generally most effective

in cooling products placed in casings; blast chillers are

most often used on VF/F/S packages.

Pouch packaging can be sized to ﬁt the commercial

need. Pouches can be produced containing as little as an

ounce of product to more than two gallons. Custom size to

ﬁt speciﬁc requirements (a package containing the exact

amount of ﬁlling for one pie, for instance) can be easily

made, thereby improving sanitation and inventory man-

agement and reducing storage requirements.

While sous vide packages with hot ﬁll require the same

heat resistance and barrier properies as those of sous vide

with pasteurization, more abuse resistance is particularly

required to endure the shock of tumble chilling and to

withstand the rigors of distribution.

Cook/Chill with Other Hurdles

Packaging after cooking and chilling in conventional cook/

chill process has postprocess contamination risks. Micro-

organisms present in the environment, packaging materi-

als, and cooking and packaging equipment can transfer

to the product after it has been cooked (pasteurized) and

can cause spoilage. Sanitation during production and

strict temperature control afterward are critical for deliv-

ery of safe food products to consumers. The products are

preferably cooked and chilled in near-cleanroom condi-

tions to reduce the chance of postprocess contamination.

Other preservation hurdles such as modiﬁed atmo-

sphere packaging, irradiation, preservative, and high-

pressure treatment can be used in combination to provide

longer shelf life. Modiﬁed atmosphere packaging is the

technique most often used for baked goods, fresh pastas,

precooked vegetables, and multicomponent meal items.

After preparation, foods are immediately packaged in a

gas-ﬂushed environment using a high-barrier material.

The gas mixture is selected to ﬁt the particular require-

ments of the product (see Modiﬁed Atmosphere

Packaging).

EQUIPMENT

Any cook/chill or sous vide methods require specialized

kitchen layouts to achieve optimum output. Conventional

cook/chill production can be accomplished with standard

cooking equipment found in most commercial kitchens.

A method to quickly cool the just-cooked products may

need to be added, however, if cold storage space or ice

baths are not able to handle the volume. Product can be

placed in holding pans for chilling in cold storage or

immediate use.

The sous vide process incorporating pasteurization or

hot ﬁllling uses a variety of high-volume production

equipment. Steam-jacketed kettles with vertical sweep-

and-fold tilting mixers are used for soups, sauces, taco

meats, and puddings. The same kinds of kettles equipped

with horizontal stationary mixers are used for thicker

foods such as mashed potatoes and batters.

Tilting skillets are used for searing, browning, frying,

poaching, and boiling. Ground and stew meats, fried foods,

and poached ﬁsh are generally prepared with this equip-

ment. After cubed meats are seared or browned, they are

often transferred to kettles for further preparation as

ingredients in soups or stews.

Metered ﬁlling stations (pump/ﬁll equipment) are used

to pump premeasured amounts of cooked product into

clipped casings or premade pouches. After ﬁlling, the

containers are closed with a metal clip. Moderate volume

production of low- and high-viscosity foods with small

particulates (less than 1 in. in diameter) are packaged

with this kind of equipment.

For larger volumes of pumpable products, VF/F/S

equipment is used, creating pouches from roll stock in a

continuous

operation. These packages

are heat-sealed as

part of the ﬁlling process.

Blast chillers or tumble chillers are used to quickly

reduce the temperature of these products. The choice is

based on product, package style, and cooling temperature.

Blast chillers are most often used for chilling prechilled

product to a desired state or moderate speed cooling

without mechanical stress. Tumble chillers are the most

effective method of reducing cooked food temperatures

from pasteurization levels to 31C. They can be aggressive,

however, and are generally used with foods that have little

or no particulates.

Continuous-belt chillers operate by transferring the

packaged product through a cold-water bath, chilled brine,

or spray. They are less abusive and thus a preferred

cooling method for pouches vertically form/ﬁll/sealed.

The chiller length and way of product pass are designed

to ensure proper dwell time to reach the desired tempera-

ture. For applications such as meat prepared in cook-in

casings, cook/chill tanks are used. This specialized piece of

equipment cooks the product in a hot-water bath, and then

it drains the water and replaces it with cold water for

quicker and more efﬁcient cooling.

1150 SOUS VIDE OR COOK/CHILL FOOD PRODUCTS

SAFETY AND SHELF LIFE

Safety and quality of sous vide or cook/chill products rely

on the pasteurization and low temperature if the produc-

tion has been preformed under hygienic process control.

The pasteurization process destructs most of pathogenic

and spoilage microorganisms, but not all of them. The

chilled storage delays the growth of any surviving micro-

organisms for limited time period, but not forever. The

organisms able to survive the pasteurization and grow at

refrigerated conditions are of the most concerns to cook/

chill products. Psychrotrophic bacteria able to grow below

51C are of major concerns. Mesophilic organisms cannot

grow at temperature below 101C and is of little concern for

properly chill-stored products (typically below 31C).

Storage even at properly chilled temperature is not

sufﬁcient to prevent growth of psychrotrophic organisms.

Therefore pasteurization conditions should be selected for

required degree of microbial inactivation or shelf life of the

products should be limited. For acid foods with pH less

than 5.0, any psychrotophic, heat-resistant pathogenic

bacteria cannot survive mild pasteurization process.

When these products are properly pasteurized, they can

be stored without any concerns on public health as long as

the storage temperature is controlled below 81C. However,

in the pasteurized foods having pH Z5.0, some heat-

resistant pathogenic bacteria can survive and grow to

produce toxin, which can be a health hazard. The most

noted organisms are vegetative Listeria monocytogenes

and spore-forming nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum.

L. monocytogenes is a typical vegetative heat-resistant

organism and can be destroyed with milder heat treat-

ment (typically 2 min at 701C based on product center

temperature), providing shelf life less than 10–14 days at

below 81C. Inactivation of nonproteolytic C. botulinum

requires severe condition (typically 10 min at 901C based

on product center temperature) and can provide longer

shelf life up to 40 days at storage below 81C. The product

shelf life is dependent on product’s intrinsic characteris-

tics, heat treatment condition, additional hurdles applied,

and storage temperature. For maximum shelf life of the

products and food safety, storage temperatures between 0

and 31C are desired.

As an aid to control the quality and safety of sous vide

or cook/chill products, norms or guidelines are sometimes

given for their microbial state (Table 1).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. T. Martens, Harmonization of Safety Criteria for Minimally

Processed Foods, Inventory Report FAIR CT96-1020, Alma

Sous Vide Competence Centre, Leuven, Belgium, 1998.

2. J. M. Farber, in J. M. Farber, and K. L. Dodds, eds., Principles

of Modiﬁed Atmosphere and Sous Vide Product Packaging,

Technomic Publication, Lancaster, PA, 1995, pp. 425–458.

3. D. A. Shapton and N. F. Shapton, Principles of Practices for the

Safe Processing of Foods, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford,

UK, 1994.

General References

. Dickens, in A. L. Brody, and K. S. Marsh, eds., The Wiley

Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology 2nd edition, John Wiley

& Sons, New York, 1997, pp. 283–285.

S. Ghazala (ed.), Sous Vide and Cook-Chill Porcessing for the Food

Industry, Aspen Publishers, Gaitherburg, MD, 1998.

J. M. Farber and K. L. Dodds (ed.), Principles of Modiﬁed Atmo-

sphere and Sous Vide Product Packaging, Technomic Publica-

tion, Lancaster, PA, 1995.

M. H. Brown and G. W. Gould, in C. Dennis and M. Stringer, eds.,

Chilled Foods, A Comphrensive Guide, John Wiley & Sons,

New York, 1997, pp. 111–146.

SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

CLAIRE KOELSCH SAND

Ameripak, Inc., Stillwater,

Minnesota

DANNETTE FAY CASPER

Minnetonka, Minnesota

Speciﬁcations have evolved to customer-driven platforms

that deﬁne in detail how the package ﬁts the product,

enable environmental chain of custody tracking, detail

environmental characteristics, provide essential meas-

urements, and ensure compliance with international

Table 1. Examples of Microbial Norms or

Recommendations for Cook/Chill Products

Source or Advising

Body Microbiological Norms

TNO, Netherlands Immediately after processing:

Free from vegetative pathogens and

toxigenic bacteria

Mesophilic aerobic count: 10

to max.

per g

Enterobacteriaceae:o10 per g

Lactic acid bacteria:o10 per g

At the end of shelf life

Total aerobic count: r10

per g

Salmonella and Campylobacter:

absent in 25 g

Listeria monocytogenes: absent in

0.01 g

Staphyloccocus aureus: r10

per g

Bacillus cereus: r10

per g

Clostridium perfringens: r10

per g

DOH guidelines, UK Before reheating

Total aerobic count:o10

per g

Salmonellae spp.: absent in 25 g

E. coli or coliform:o10 per g

C. perfringens: r10

per g

S. aureus (coagulase + ve):o10

per g

L. monocytogenes: absent in 25 g

Source: Adapted from Martens (1), Farber (2), and Shapton and Shapton

(3).

SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE 1151

regulations and the ﬁnal relationship to the ﬁnal consu-

mer. This is a major switch from speciﬁcations that

deﬁned solely manufacturing requirements and provided

internal documentation. This evolution has provided the

impetus of change for quality assurance procedures. Now,

quality programs have evolved from the standard ISO

certiﬁcations to Six-Sigma and data-linked quality value

chain-driven programs. This article explains basic ele-

ments of speciﬁcations and quality assurance. General

packaging and component speciﬁc packaging speciﬁcation

and quality procedures are addressed.

Speciﬁcations are, in the simplest sense, the means of

communicating information critical to purchasing, pro-

duction, and distribution functions between the vendor,

product manufacturer, customer, and postconsumer dis-

posal, through the entire value chain. Each of these

functions requires the assurance that the correct packa-

ging components are purchased and will be appropriately

used and distributed to the end consumer and beyond. For

this reason, speciﬁcations are clear, have extreme detail,

and are the focal point for discussions on packaging.

Speciﬁcations also reﬂect the capability of manufactur-

ing methods to attain certain tolerances and parameters.

This ability has evolved as the technology to attain and

measure speciﬁc package component attributes has im-

proved. One example is the use of digital technology as a

means of measuring ﬁnish and closure threads versus the

human eye. In this case, digitized images enable measure-

ments to the nanometer level and we could deﬁne mea-

surements to the nanometer in all closures and threads.

But, deﬁning all measurements in a speciﬁcation to the

nanometer level is not always appropriate for all

packages. This is because tolerances and parameters

that are too tight foster unwarranted manufacturing

challenges, higher costs, and environmental damage.

And, likewise, speciﬁcations that are too loose often result

in damaged products. Higher costs and slower manufac-

turing speeds may be justiﬁed in one industry (for exam-

ple, in medical device packaging) and not another

(sporting goods). Achieving the optimal tolerances and

parameters makes for an efﬁcient operation and allows for

the speciﬁcation to be accepted within the entire value

chain.

Today, packaging speciﬁcation tolerances and para-

meters are designed appropriately with the entire packa-

ging value chain in mind and enable the incorporation of

environmentally friendly practices, use of high-speed

manufacturing, and ﬂexible shipping to protect products

efﬁciently for customers.

GENERAL PACKAGING SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY

PROCEDURES

General packaging speciﬁcations are developed with the

needs of the end user in mind and relate expectations

independent of the supplier of the packaging materials.

General packaging speciﬁcations are employed to outline

characteristics common to all packaging components of

the same component type. For example, rigid injection-

molded components such as jars, tubs, and closures are

within one component type. The purpose of the general

speciﬁcation is to specify general and broad standards and

expectations for components that may include items men-

tioned in Figure 1. Included in the general packaging

speciﬁcation is the expectation that the packaging will be

within quality limits such as the now common Six Sigma

procedure. Use of Six Sigma deﬁnes acceptable ranges and

Closures used by the Charlotte Corporation will conform the following General Specification:

International Standards. Tolerances for migration from additives, packaging materials, and

processing aids must not exceed regulations established in the Federal Food, Drug, and

Cosmetic Act and/or the approved global organizations.

General Manufacturing Procedures. This material shall be produced under General

Manufacturing Procedures (GMP) to ensure that it is safe for food-contact purposes.

The vendor may not make any changes in the materials or equipment used to

manufacture the packaging component without prior changes in the Component

Specific Specification. Obvious defects in the packaging components will result in an

entire lot being rejected. Established 6 sigma guidelines to be followed.

Inks and Colorants. International approved inks and colorants must be used. One sample .

from each lot should be sent to Charlotte Graphics Department for approval of the

colorant and inks used in each lot. Deviation from the color standard will result in a

reject of the packaging components.

Packaging and Distribution. All components must be packed in a polyethylene bag within a

corrugated box not to exceed a weight of 50 lb per packed corrugated case. Cases will

be labeled on four sides in type size equal to or larger than 14-point. Labels to include

production date, lot number, order number, component identification number, vendor

name and address, and the number of closures per container. Temperatures during

storage and distribution of the components should not exceed 90°F and 60% relative

humidity.

Environmental Chain of Custody. Tracking the Chain of Custody of packaging components

shall follow approved international regulations and sanctioned sources for each

packaging component.

Figure 1. General packaging speciﬁ-

cations for injection-molded compo-

nents.

1152 SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

the use of appropriate standardizations. Concepts such as

Six Sigma establish appropriate procedures in order max-

imize efﬁciencies, deﬁne opportunities for cost reduction,

and comply with General Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

As shown in Figure 1, the general speciﬁcation is very

vague and further reﬁnement to a component-speciﬁc

speciﬁcation is required before the packaging components

can be of known dimensions and consistency.

COMPONENT-SPECIFIC SPECIFICATIONS

Component-speciﬁc packaging speciﬁcations for each

package component are developed jointly with the parties

involved to ensure both an understanding of compliance to

speciﬁcations. As a case study, if the incoming packaging

is an injection-molded closure (see Figure 2), speciﬁcations

are developed jointly with the resin, tool molding, closure

and liner, capping machine manufacturers, and the end

user of the closure. All phases of manufacturing the

packaging component leading up to the end user

contribute to constructing the speciﬁcation. In addition,

all functions throughout the process are connected to

other manufacturers by a quality umbrella that ensures

the manufacturers and end user what was speciﬁed.

All internal quality procedures become part of the

speciﬁcation.

Manufacturing speciﬁcations are developed jointly be-

tween the suppliers of the packaging component, technol-

ogy functions, and the production facility. The team

identiﬁes critical control points throughout the process

where a speciﬁcation is required. Then a test protocol and

a speciﬁcation range are developed to ensure that the

production facility operates within the required range. For

example, if a closure needs to have a deﬁned removal

torque at 2–6 months to meet guidelines of ‘‘openability,’’

speciﬁc removal torque values are written into the speci-

ﬁcation. Furthermore, the relationship between removal

torque at 2–6 months and application torque must be

known. So, controlling application torque at the manufac-

turing level is a critical control point. A correlation

between removal torque can be made. For example, an

Container data

Thread data

1.) 53-400 Finish

2.) L or M Thread style

3.) 6 TPI-.166 Pitch

4.) 1.25 Turns thread

Min.land 0.075

Optional

0.423

0.393

0.040

0.030

0.395

0.385

0.470

0.450

0.061

0.031

Bead optional

Cap data

Over ribs

Fine matt

Seal ring

2.067

2.032

1.973

1.938



1.760

1.730



2.190

2.170



1.880

1.860



1.995

1.975



2.100

2.080



2.230

2.210



 2.000

 1.87

4 Seal

rings

10°

Thread data

1.) 6 TPI-.166 Pitch

2.) 1.250 Turns of thread

3.) * Dims are total range

including taper draft

* E

* T

0.010

0.060

B (3 : 1)

Spec. no: S-053-400-03

Cap size:

Material:

Gram weight: 5.2

Date: 05/15/04

53 mm

Part description:

Specification no:

S-053-400-03

53-400 Fine rib-matt top cap

Compiled by:

DAW

6775 McKinley Street

Drawn by: RCL

Rev: -

Innovative Molding, Incorporated

Phone: (707) 829-2666

Sebastopol, CA 95472

Fax: (707) 829-5212

Innovative

Poly pro

Figure 2. Representative industry component

speciﬁcation.

SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE 1153

application torque range of 45–50 in.-lb results in a re-

moval torque of 28–30 in.-lb at 2–6 months shelf life. Thus,

on-line checks to verify machine settings of 45–50 in.-lb

on each chuck are necessary. Sampling frequency is

established.

An example of how speciﬁcations are derived using a

closure speciﬁcation follows. Let us suppose that the

consumers of the end product require that the removal

torque on the closure be 28–30 in. lb. between 2 and 6

months of shelf life for ‘‘openability.’’ Quality protocol will

deﬁne the acceptable variability. This requires the follow-

ing working relationships within the value chain:

. The approved resin supplier works with resin sup-

pliers to identify a resin that will have low variability

of closure thread dimensions. This will translate into

less torque variability.

. The mold maker and closure supplier design the tool

to accommodate this resin and provide low thread

tolerances.

. Quality speciﬁcations detailing defects, Six Sigma, and

actions to be taken regarding defects are established

jointly by the closure manufacture and the end user.

. Closure supplier and capping manufacturer ensure

that the capping equipment is designed for the

closure and establishes the application torque range

to attain the required 28- to 30-in.-lb removal torque.

. Manufacturer of product veriﬁes that the speciﬁca-

tion is followed via uniform quality checks on re-

tained samples.

. Disposal companies, retailers, and manufacturer fa-

cilitate redeﬁned closure disposal, recycling, or reuse.

Achieving the proper the removal torque is accomplished

through specifying the optimal resin, tool design, toler-

ance within the closure and liner material, and ensuring

that the capping manufacturer can produce capping

equipment to sufﬁcient tolerances. Figures 2 and 3 illus-

trate a representative component-speciﬁc speciﬁcation for

a closure. Figure 2 expands on the general speciﬁcation

shown in Figure 1 and adds details speciﬁc to a closure.

Each area from the resin selection to the capping is subject

to internal quality procedures to verify that the product

speciﬁed is the product produced.

Finished package speciﬁcations provide the ﬁnal check

in the process to verify that the packaging components

Matthew Corp. Division Food, #32 Spec. Code S-053-400-03 Issue Date: 2009

Packaging Component 53mm Poly pro dispensing closure Application Products 32-7840

Production Location Approval Related Specifications

Shipping case: 32-7800-410

______ Durand, Michigan Bottle: 32-7800-110

______ Royal Oak, Michigan Front label: 32-7800-110

______ Eleanor, Wyoming Back label: 32-7800-510b

Dimensions as shown in print number PS-354-14

Tolerances: +- 0.008 inches

Approved Materials

Resin H-78356jck Processing Aids: ASBX 198, ASBX 200

Colorants Evan color code blue #81 Regulatory Compliance Number: 15

6 sigma

Maximum minimum tolerances

Special Consideration

Removal Torque to be 28−30 inch-pound at 2−6 months shelf life of the finished product. Vendor

must comply with General Specifications for all Packaging Components.

Approvals

Specification Originator ______________________ Supplier __________________________

Purchasing ____________________________

Figure 3. Representative industry quality

document.

Subject Specification Report

Label placement

Label color

Glue coverage

Scuff/tear

Removal torque

Closure color/scuff

Bottle scuff

Paneling

Grease/dirt

0.0625in.

Color Standards

80% of label

No tolerance

40 ± 5 in.-lb

Color standards

No tolerance

0.0625in.

No tolerance

Deviations from horizontal and vertical

Forward suspect deviations to graphics

Percent covered and location of no or excess

coverage

Scuffing location and retain label

Deviations and time of removal torque

Forward suspect deviations to graphics

Location

Deviation and location

Location and type

Figure 4. Representative ﬁnished-goods speciﬁ-

cation.

1154 SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

were received, were used, and will arrive to the consumer

packaged as intended. This is also established using a

standard Bill of Materials or similar document. Finished

package speciﬁcations are developed by the manufactur-

ing facility, marketing, technology, operations functions,

and international environmental concerns. Often visual

veriﬁcations of package compliance are acceptable, but

quantiﬁable scales of acceptance provide a clear image of

shift, manufacturing, and location variability. They also

ensure a solid data-based framework for decision making.

An example of a ﬁnished package speciﬁcation for a

package system using the closure speciﬁcation discussed

previously is shown in Figure 4.

CONCLUSION

Packaging speciﬁcations and quality procedures extend

throughout the value chain to:

. Communicate expectations of quality and consis-

tency.

. Translate speciﬁc needs and features of packaging

components.

. Provide internal parameters for the appropriate

manufacturing of packaging components.

. Convey consumer needs into clear quantiﬁable

speciﬁcations.

. Facilitate tracking of components throughout the

chain of custody.

. Deﬁne appropriate disposal of packaging compo-

nents.

STANDUP FLEXIBLE POUCHES

MICHAEL J. GREELY

Totani America, Inc., Green

Bay, Wisconsin

Conventional standup pouches are those with bottom

‘‘horizontal’’ panel gussets, more commonly known as

bottom gussets. The gussets are heat-sealed to produce

ﬂexible bases on which the pouches may stand without

support. This base permits the two sidewalls or facewalls

to spread at the bottom when the pouch is ﬁlled. In effect,

standup ﬂexible pouches are three-panel ﬂexible pouches

that are self-standing when full or partially full of product

heavy enough to bear down on the bottom panel. In most

instances, the bottom panel is a separate sheet of ﬂexible

material, but some structures fold a single web sheet into

a ‘‘W’’ shape and heat-seal a base from this conﬁguration.

Standup ﬂexible pouches with separate bottom gussets

have been in existence for several decades.

These pouches are very adaptable for packaging of dry

products and liquids. In many applications, they are a

suitable replacement for other types of packaging, includ-

ing plastic or glass bottles, cans, and boxes. The advan-

tages of standup pouches for packaging are numerous.

They are environmentally sound, offering source reduc-

tion of solid waste ranging from 70% to 90% by both

weight and volume. The use of pouches reduces the need

for recycling, landﬁll, and/or incineration. Another advan-

tage of standup pouches is that they offer the use of four-

to six-color graphics, for improved shelf appeal and accep-

tance. Standup pouches offer cost savings, with reduced

transportation costs. Unlike the shipping of traditional

large plastic empty containers, there is no shipping of

‘‘air.’’ There is further savings with reduced inventory

space and storage costs for containers. Standup ﬂexible

pouches take up only one-eightieth of the cubic feet

compared to storing an equal quantity of rigid containers

(see Figure 1).

Other standup ﬂexible pouch structures employ side-

wall folds or side gussets and overlapping ﬂat sheet bases.

Because they do not have the bottom gusset, these

pouches do not stand up quite as well, and they have

been used more successfully for dry products than for

liquids. Both types of standup ﬂexible pouches are cur-

rently being used and/or considered for dry products

packaging.

Conventional ﬂexible pouches can be fabricated with

four face-to-face seals, with three face-to-face/one overlap,

or with ﬁn seals with a vertical form/ﬁll/seal machine. In

any case, they are generally not able to stand indepen-

dently because they have a single bottom ﬁn seal or fold

that brings the face and back panels together. In the

standup ﬂexible pouch, rather than a single seal or fold,

Figure 1. Section view of standup pouch. Unsealed area (allows

for higher seal pressure in critical seal areas).

STANDUP FLEXIBLE POUCHES 1155

there are two seals: one of the bottom-to-face panel, and

the other of the bottom-to-back panel. In unopened form,

the bottom gusset panel is generally folded in and hidden.

When opened, the bottom panel (or the bottom ﬁns of the

expanded face panels) functions as a base on which the

pouch stands (see Figure 2).

Standup ﬂexible pouches generally employ two face-to-

face fusion side seals and a single face-to-face across-the-

top seal in addition to the bottom seals. When viewed from

the side, it looks like a distorted triangle with the base of

the triangle at the bottom. The across-the-top seals may be

interrupted by a spout insert, zipper closure, or other

structural devices to facilitate opening, dispensing of

contents, and reclosing. The application of spouts and

closure devices adds versatility and ease of use to the

standup ﬂexible pouches (see Figures 3, 4a,b).

Other ﬂexible pouches that have self-standing capabil-

ities include (a) pouches with side gussets that permit the

bottom to fold into a ﬂat position, like a paper grocery

sack, and (b) those with four-corner side seals to actually

form a rectangular solid shape from several webs of

ﬂexible materials. In such pouches, the product itself

and not the package provides the rigidity to impart the

standup feature (see Figure 5).

HISTORY

Historically, standup ﬂexible pouches have been in exis-

tence commercially for about 50 years. The ﬁrst pouches

were developed by French machine maker Thimonnier. In

fact, standup ﬂexible pouches are often generically (and

erroneously) called Doy Packs after their inventor, M.

Louis Doyen, majority shareholder of Thimonnier.

By the end of the 1960s, preformed standup

ﬂexible pouches were being used in the United States for

sugar candies and in Europe for olives in brine and

for wine, among the earlier applications of such pou-

ches for liquid contents. During the early to mid-1970s,

the standup ﬂexible-pouch concept was applied to

the European-initiated Capri Sun, a shelf-stable fruit-

ﬂavored beverage. Capri Sun marked the ﬁrst major

application of standup ﬂexible pouches for liquid product

contents.

Relatively few new applications appeared until the

mid- to late 1980s, with the reemergence of environ-

mentalist pressures for package source reduction. German

liquid detergent manufacturers converted polyethylene

bottles into standup ﬂexible pouches. By this time,

Thimonnier had developed machines that could pro-

duce and ﬁll standup pouches directly from rollstock.

Other manufacturers had also developed horizontal form/

ﬁll/seal machines for standup pouches, although the ma-

jority of liquids were still packaged in premade standup

pouches (see ‘‘ 2’’ section). The detergent packaging was

reasonably successful in Germany, where strict environ-

mental regulations were already in effect. The same

concept, although offering environmental and economic

beneﬁts, has not been as successful in North American

markets.

Actually, standup ﬂexible pouches found greater com-

mercial success in Japan than in Europe during the 1980s,

spear-headed by Fujimori.

Figure 2. When standup pouch is ﬁlled, the bottom gusset opens

or expands. Bottom of side panels function as base of pouch.

Figure 3. Section view of unopened and ﬁlled standup pouch.

1156 STANDUP FLEXIBLE POUCHES

TECHNOLOGY

All standup ﬂexible pouches are not alike. In general, they

may be classiﬁed as one of the following types:

1. Preformed Pouches. Pouches are made on a separate

converting machine and delivered to a packager in

ready-to-open, ﬁll-and-seal form); often with dispen-

sing spouts and zippers already built in.

2. Horizontal Form/Fill/Seal Pouches. Pouches fabri-

cated in-line by the packager from ﬂexible roll stock

materials on machines that fold the sidewalls and

die-cut openings for heat-sealing into the bottom

section (see Form/ﬁll/seal, horizontal).

The most widely used standup ﬂexible pouches for

liquids are made from preformed pouches produced by

ﬂexible package converters using laminated ﬁlm struc-

tures. Most standup pouch ﬂexible-material constructions

are relatively simple webs, such as trap-printed polyester

ﬁlm plus an interior stiffener/sealant of low-density or

linear low-density polyethylene (LDPE or LLDPE). Effect-

ing a seal in the pouch requires polyethylene-to-polyethy-

lene or analogous fusion heat sealing. The sealing of the

bottom-web material to the two face webs requires that

the heat sealants face each other, which dictates die cutting

large openings in the bottom material (see Figure 1).

Positive sealing is essential for liquid containment

because liquid is pressing against the base heat seals. Of

signiﬁcance is the hydraulic pressure exerted by the liquid

against the bottom seals, particularly when there is an

impact or a drop, and the liquid exerts a sudden high force

against the heat-seal area. Thus, although the thick

gauges of polyethylene sealant serve to enhance the

standup feature, an important reason for their presence

in such quantities is to provide sufﬁcient strength to resist

hydraulic shock. This problem also justiﬁes the preferred

use of LLDPE, which has greater stress resistance than

does low-density polyethylene. Many pouches use a nylon

cast or biaxially oriented ﬁlm/polyethylene lamination as

the bottom gusset.

In earlier years, the materials employed included nylon

ﬁlm as well as, or in place of, polyester ﬁlm, plus exterior

coatings. The materials for consumer-size pouches now

are largely polyester/polyethylene combinations that have

proved satisfactory in commercial practice. Output speeds

of intermittent motion preformed pouchmaking machines

today are always faster than those on form/ﬁll/seal ma-

chines because of multilane possibilities as well as the

limiting factors of ﬁlling and sealing on the ﬁlling ma-

chines. Furthermore, it is easier to incorporate dispensing

Figure 4. Standup pouches with (a) reclosable pour spout and

(b) reclosable zipper.

Figure 5. Side-gusseted pouch.

STANDUP FLEXIBLE POUCHES 1157