SOLUBLE EDIBLE PACKS-NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Soluble packaging is a concept on which technologists have been working seriously during the last couple of years and it appears the D-Day seems to be near for such materials to be delivered to the food industry. Earlier 100% edible packaging materials were sought by the industry which can be eaten along with the contents but the new development is for materials that can be used for packing foods that can dissolve readily when they are added to water where after they can be consumed. Such food include soup powders and pastes, fruit juice powders etc and the beauty of the concept is that the packaging material is neutral vis-a-vis flavor and taste which enables it to be consumed with the consumer never able to detect. Here is a take on this new development which is creating some excitement in the food industry circles. 

"MonoDose' can, says the company, be used in a broad variety of food and beverage applications in which there is a requirement to dissolve the product in water, including soups, sauces, pre-portioned dry ingredients or spice packs, supplements and so on. The company says the packaging has neither taste nor odour and dissolves more quickly in warm or hot water. Soluble packaging previously existed for products such as dishwasher tablets and weed-killers, but MonoSol's solution is believed to be the first for the food industry. The company works with different polymers for different applications. MonoDose is derived from a water-soluble synthetic polymer called polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) which has been found to be appropriate for coating food items such as fruits". 

One of the uncertainties with such packaging materials is how safe they are because a synthetic chemical PVOH is used and it is a question of time before safety issues crop up raising doubts in the minds of the consumers. Just because PVOH is used for coating medicinal tablets does not mean much because the quantum of intake is vastly different when used in foods. Another inconvenience is that unless these soluble packs are packed further, they are vulnerable to cross contamination with potential for infection with pathogens. Ultimately the million dollar question is whether consumer really wants it! Of course such soluble packaging mode can reduce plastic wastes very significantly mitigating the serious disposal problem the world faces to day.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com