ACTEGA eyes up PVC-free demands from Asia

By Rachel Arthur

- Last updated on GMT

ACTEGA Provalin PVC-free metal closures

Related tags European union Asia

Asian awareness of PVC-free packaging is growing, according to ACTEGA DS, a company which produces coatings and sealants for the industry. 

The company says Provalin, its range of PVC-free granulate lining compounds designed for use in closures, is seeing increased demand on the Asian market.

The product helps food producers deal with PVC restrictions in Asia, and to meet European regulations for exports, the company claims.

Provalin is used on metal closures with glass jars, and particularly for packaging oily or fatty foods such as mayonnaise and pestos.

PVC and PVC-free

PVC is commonly used in closures to provide sealing properties. ACTEGA DS designed Provalin as a sealing compound to replace PVC plastisols in metal closures.

Wilfried Lassek, MD, ACTEGA DS, told FoodProductionDaily.com there are claims that plasticizers in PVC have a negative interaction with fatty and oily foods, causing migration of the plasticizers into products.

Concerns about PVC and plasticizers are as strong as ever, claims Lassek, adding there are PVC restrictions in many Asian countries and recycling taxes on packaging containing PVC in countries such as Taiwan.

Asia is a highly developed market and orientated around removing PVC from packaging,​” he said. “Additionally a lot of products are filled and shipped back to the European Union. Closures that are lined with provalin meet all the European standards and regulations​.”

Provalin is being used by several fillers such as Lee Kum Kee [a manufacturer of Asian sauces] and Cerebos to name a few. The provalin range is suitable for all foodstuffs but is targeting the fatty/oily foodstuffs that has migration issues with common PVC gasket sealing materials​.”

The sealants in closures are important to preserve shelf life of the food inside, and provide an easy opening mechanism.  

Creating Provalin

PVC plastisols are lined into metal closures and baked in an oven to cure the compound to the closure. As an alternative, ACTEGA DS developed its sealing compound to replace PVC plastisols with a mixture of various thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). 

 “The characteristics of the TPE are performing the same as PVC in sealability, ease of opening, and vacuum retentions, as required in this industry,​” said Lassek.

Asian manufacturers are using Provalin for lines including coldfill, hotfill, and high pasteurization up to retort applications of 131°C.

Provalin is made in Bremen, Germany, and is sold in granulate form to Asia or to German closure manufacturers, who supply metal closures to Asian fillers.

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