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Ultra Clean Packaging – Hygienic Filling
HASSIA-REDATRON defines Ultra Clean as a hygienic treatment and disinfection of packaging materials such as film and fitments, in accordance with the VDMA guidelines for hygienic packaging machines and achieving log 3 reduction. This means that 99.9% of microorganisms are eliminated from the treated packaging material.
With the Ultra Clean packaging process, products that would normally require hot filling can be filled at lower temperatures or cold filled – for example ketchup and other sensitive food products. This can significantly reduce the energy required for the filling process while maintaining a high level of packaging hygiene and product safety.
Pouch, Sachet and StickPack machines from HASSIA-REDATRON can be equipped with an integrated Ultra Clean system.
Ultra Clean Process
The packaging film is first pre-cleaned and statically discharged to remove particles and prepare the film surface for the subsequent disinfection process.
For applications with fitments, the fitment will be rotated in the infeed channel. This ensures that the complete surface of the fitment is exposed to the UVC disinfection process.
UVC light is applied to the packaging material for effective surface disinfection:
- UV = Ultraviolet radiation
- C = Short-wavelength range within the ultraviolet spectrum
- UVC = Ultraviolet radiation used for microbial reduction and surface disinfection
After UVC treatment, the packaging materials pass through a disinfection tunnel. A fine fog consisting of a peroxide-lactic acid formulation provides additional microbial reduction and helps prevent bacterial growth on the treated surfaces.
The formulation is food-safe and biodegradable and is widely used in food-processing environments such as butcheries, dairies, cheese factories, bakeries and other hygienic food production facilities.
The tunnel guides the treated packaging material continuously towards the longitudinal sealing area. Once the film is formed into a closed tube and longitudinally sealed, the product and packaging material are protected from external contamination and recontamination during the subsequent filling and sealing process.
Ultra Clean – Key Benefits
- 99.9% microbial reduction – log 3
- Hygienic treatment of film and fitments
- UVC surface disinfection
- Fitment rotation for complete surface exposure
- Hygienic peroxide-lactic acid fogging
- Protection against recontamination
- Suitable for Pouch, Sachet and StickPack machines
- Enables cold filling of products traditionally requiring hot fill
- Potential for significant energy savings
- Designed according to VDMA hygienic packaging machine guidelines
- Suitable for food and sensitive products
- Integrated into the packaging process for continuous hygienic production