Eco packaging extends cosmetics shelf life
A technology that promises to extend the shelf life of cosmetics products whilst saving on packaging materials has been patented by French company Rosas.
The process, designed for thermoformer machinery, extends shelf life by complete oxygen removal, according to the company.
Significantly extending the shelf life of cosmetics will mean that products can be transported without having to regulate the temperature, giving it both economical and ecological benefits.
However, the technology is still in development. The challenge at present is to improve the quality of the plastic film, so that it remains air tight for longer.
Removing oxygen extends shelf life
Rosas maintains that removing the oxygen from a product will increase its shelf life. However with traditional thermoformer packaging methods it is difficult to remove 100 per cent of the oxygen.
The double chamber system developed by Rosas allows the tray sealing enclosure to be cleaned of oxygen before the introduction of the product. The product can similarly be completely sterilised in a separate chamber before it is introduced. This results in 100 per cent oxygen removal, says the firm.
All types of products, solid or liquid, that are packaged in this way can benefit from the technology, although further investigations need to be done into the exact extension of life possible for each product, states Roland Rossi at Rosas.
The company states that the technology can also be used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as well as being used for packaging sensitive computer parts.
The technology also allows for up to a 15 per cent saving on the plastic film, according to Rosas, as the injection of the sterilising gases occurs in the sealing enclosure and not through perforated holes in the plastic, therefore reducing the width of the film needed.
More info:
www.rosas-france.com