The dairy industry has seen significant innovation over recent decades, particularly in packaging. Traditional packaging methods, which often require refrigeration and have limited shelf life, have largely been supplemented, or even replaced, by aseptic and extended shelf life (ESL) technologies.
Byrne’s study focuses on aseptic, or shelf-stable, flavored milk. Aseptic technology allows distributors and school districts to transport and store products at ambient temperature. Currently, many schools serve traditional pasteurized milk, which must be refrigerated at all times during transport and storage.
Located next door to Byrne’s flagship plant in DeWitt, N.Y., the Byrne Innovation Center houses new product development, shelf-life testing, sensory evaluation, analytical testing and other services for Byrne’s customers.
There are a lot of things HP Hood LLC’s Batavia, N.Y., plant could be honored for this year, including the many bells and whistles featured at the 458,000-square-foot plant.
The company announced the expansion of capabilities at its Extract and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) facility in Conway, Ark., and also entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Select Milk Producers to establish a joint venture to build and operate an extended shelf life and aseptic, multi-serve bottle facility in Texas.
It may sound like a broken record for some, but ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages have seen dollar sales increase, while unit sales decreased during the past year, a similar refrain to other dairy categories.
It has been an excellent past 12 months — and beyond — for Kansas City, Kan.-based Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a national farmer-owned cooperative with nearly 11,000 family-farm owners and about 19,000 employees.
Extended shelf life and aseptic processes are becoming increasingly popular as dairy processors seek to keep pace in an increasingly competitive market.
Leveraging packaging and processing technologies that enhance food safety while reducing waste is vital if processors are to enhance efficiencies while operating in a more sustainable manner.
SIG has applied specific filling and processing parameters that ensure a homogenous suspension of probiotic cells per pack. This ensures the safe filling of probiotics into SIG’s aseptic packaging solutions at highest quality levels, SIG claimed.
September 5, 2023
"This game changing development creates a new product category; probiotic beverages packed in aseptic carton packs and spouted pouches which are shelf-stable for prolonged storage periods without refrigeration," the companies stated.