PRESS RELEASE

Vapour permeability - Quality & Permeability of Edible Films and Confectionery Packaging

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Surprisingly, the all-important barrier properties of edible films, along with the print-quality and shelf life extending properties of confectionary packaging, are all controlled by exactly the same thing.  Vapour permeability.

Versaperm has introduced a version of its measurement system for the confectionery market.  It both measures, non-destructively, the vapour permeability of a finished product in its finished packaging, and measure it for samples of edible (and other) films, laminates and products.  Additionally, it can determine not just vapour permeability, but also permeability for oxygen, CO2, nitrogen and virtually any other gas.

The oxygen and vapour permeability of edible films control the stability of the product.  The print quality of packaging is largely controlled by water vapour and shelf life is usually controlled by both water vapour and oxygen permeability.

The aroma of a packaged product is also preserved by the packaging's permeability – usually based around a highly complex combination of aromatics. Unfortunately the permeability and barrier qualities of foils and packaging are strongly affected by the manufacturing and sealing process leading to reduced product shelf life.

Versaperm's equipment can determine all of these factors to a very high accuracy, usually in the Parts Per Millio, PPM, range.  Unlike traditional gravimetric systems, which take weeks to make a single measurement, the new system is very fast, taking just 30 minutes in some cases.

The latest meter can measure food, confectionery and packaging permeability for a huge range of gases, including water vapour, oxygen and virtually any other common gas.   It can also perform measurements under a wide range of pressure and temperature conditions – and can even test metalized foil packages, sachets, sugar, starch and molecular coatings barrier films.  Additionally it allows the user to determine the equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) of products that might decompose using other measuring techniques.

Tuning the vapour permeability of your packaging to your specific products can dramatically improve the shelf life and quality of a snack or confectionery.  Interestingly, permeability is also a major factor in print quality.  Sadly the two don't always go hand-in-hand and packaging innovation and branding is sometimes sacrificed.  Materials, packaging construction and improvement all demand development and quality control, enabling the new permeability measurement systems from Versaperm to come to the fore.

A fast turn-around laboratory testing service is also available.

ENDS

Please send any sales enquiries to Christopher Roberts, Versaperm Limited ,
10 Rawcliffe House, Howarth Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1AP, UK, Tel: +44 1628 777668,
e.mail info@versaperm.co.uk Web http://www.versaperm.co.uk

For further Press Information please contact Gerry Palmer @ the Palmer & Rose Partnership. Tel 01494 637499, fax 0871 900 3898 e.mail gerry@palmer-rose.co.u