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Food IBCs the Ideal Substitute for Stainless Steel Containers
World market leader Schütz brings new products to Anuga FoodTec / Wider range of applications / Satisfies more than just legal requirements
Selters. With its stand at Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Schütz GmbH & Co. KGaA underscores its increased commitment to the use of innovative, plastic industrial packaging in the food industry. The IBC world market leader from Selters, Germany, places the focus here on providing a fully acceptable alternative to stainless steel containers that satisfies both ecological and economic considerations.
IBCs have been used in the past for the transport and storage of food products, but legal requirements, technical obstacles, product characteristics and rigorous customer specifications often restricted their range of applications. Reason enough for SCHÜTZ to devote special attention to their further development.
The result is a new product line in the successful Ecobulk series. The line was developed especially to hold foods of liquid to paste-like consistency as well as food raw materials and additives. State-of-the-art production technologies and innovative, functional materials have now put an end to the IBC’s previous weaknesses and opened up new dimensions in their application.
The transport containers hold certification complying both with the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration and the corresponding EU ordinances. This applies to general provisions regarding contact with the filling goods as well as labelling and traceability. SCHÜTZ goes much further on these counts than legally required. A special barcode system makes it possible to trace each individual component and all materials and production processes all the way back to the initial batch of raw material. SCHÜTZ’s self-imposed specifications also include an extremely clean method of production as well as air-blast cleaning during the extrusion process. The products are also made to order, or “just in time”, and specially packed and stored, if required.
The star among the food IBCs is the Ecobulk MX-EV-FDA. Developed by SCHÜTZ on the basis of the company’s special security layer technology (multilayer extrusion), it not only features an EVOH permeation and oxygen barrier, but also effective protection from light and UV rays – and is optionally available in black or white. The EVOH barrier reliably prevents the penetration and escape of oxygen, carbon dioxide and gases as well as aromatic and odorous substances through the container wall, thereby giving oxygen-sensitive foods lasting protection.
A virtually zero degree of transmission of O2, CO2 und N2, for example, considerably lengthens the shelf life of milk, orange juice, beer, dressings and olive oil plus a host of other foods. This effect is also enhanced by the container’s efficient light and UV protection properties. Permeation of visible light is reduced to < 20 per cent and that of UV light to < 0.5 per cent in IBCs with an inner bottle made with material containing a batch of white. The permeation levels of black IBCs are even as low as < 1 per cent for visible light and < 0.3 per cent for UV light.
Components such as outlet valves and the screw caps of filling openings are also designed for maximum food safety. SCHÜTZ produces fittings with ball and butterfly valves (each complying to DN 50) made of either EPDM-FDA or FPM-FDA. This also applies to the gaskets of sealed screw caps with a nominal diameter of either DM 250 or DN 225. Also available in the same size are screw caps with G2“ plugs, vent, plastic sealing cap and FPM-FDA gasket.
When it comes to property profiles, therefore, the Ecobulk MX-EV-FDA is without doubt an equal match for the stainless steel container. On the other hand, however, it costs far less and offers added advantages when used in the Schütz Ticket Service. This unique free service is available throughout the world and regulates the collection of used IBCs and their reconditioning. The IBC requires no thorough cleaning (as with the stainless steel container) as a new IBC is used for every cycle, thus guaranteeing the absolute purity of the filling goods. This renders logistically complex and expensive multiway systems (tracking) superfluous. The SCHÜTZ Ticket Service therefore fully satisfies both ecological and economic considerations.
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