ColorMatrix Group, global innovators in PET colorant and additive technologies, has launched Amosorb® SolO2 – a powerful oxygen scavenging system that delivers new opportunities for high-level product protection in lighter weight PET containers. This latest barrier solution, which is a ready-to-use combination of an active O2 scavenger, a passive O2/CO2 barrier and (if required) a colour, also promises greater product assurance and container production flexibility for a wide range of oxygen-sensitive food and beverages.
ColorMatrix recognises that as container lightweighting becomes a more frequent means of reducing packaging costs, the ability to maintain product quality and brand integrity must not be compromised. As PET container walls become thinner, to protect product contents it becomes even more important to manage oxygen transmission effectively, particularly in the first few days after a container is filled when the greatest levels of O2 ingress can occur. Unlike alternative scavenging systems Amosorb SolO2 is active immediately, particularly at this crucial early stage and then remains consistently active throughout the required life of the container.
For non-carbonated applications such as juice, dairy and particularly wine, with its additional demands of empty bottle storage, compared with nylon systems at the same addition rate, the ‘always active’ scavenging power and barrier performance of Amosorb SolO2 is able to achieve an equivalent shelf-life target, but in a much thinner walled container. Shelf life can be extended from 12 months to at least 24 months.
For carbonated applications in monolayer containers such as beer, once oxygen ingress is managed, CO2 loss becomes the limiting factor in product protection. The passive barrier element of Amosorb SolO2 then kicks in to enable shelf life to be optimised at four to six months, depending on bottle size and the application required.
While no system guarantees 100% product protection, ColorMatrix’s Amosorb SolO2 comes close, significantly reducing risk for brand owners. This performance is particularly strong in coloured container applications where the technology’s robust barrier capability is unaffected by colour unlike nylon scavengers which, in combination with colorants, can become deactivated, even at low addition rates. Amosorb SolO2 provides the additional assurance that it is always active throughout the life of the container, even with the addition of colour.
From a recycling perspective Amosorb SolO2 also gets the green light as its performance is unaffected when used in combination with recycled resin (RPET), again something that nylon systems can become sensitive to. As container walls become thinner and increasingly include RPET and colour, converters and brand owners now have a low-risk, highly-effective and very practical long-term scavenging solution.
Its practicality is down to its ease of handling. Where many scavenger systems require the converter to control the dosing of two or even three components, Amosorb SolO2 has everything that is needed, including colour, in one single product, making it a much simpler and more controllable system to implement. As a result, this pellet-based technology can be more easily tailored to suit any container type and shelf-life requirement.
“SolO2 allows our customers a greater degree of control over how they use their barrier systems giving them the flexibility to manage shelf life targets more easily and the ability to react more quickly to changing market requirements,” explains Steve Tattum, global market development manager for ColorMatrix’s packaging technologies. “By controlling their own dosing levels of SolO2 we are also able to offer our customers the additional assurance of consistent barrier performance and product quality throughout the container life.”
Like Amosorb, this new addition to ColorMatrix’s renowned range of oxygen scavengers can be used with any grade of PET for both mono and multi-layer applications. Amosorb SolO2 complies fully with FDA and EU food contact legislation.