Page 97 - AMEFT Journal 2021-4
P. 97

Sustainability with Serac’s ESL Combox
Standing out as a major player in the market as an expert and an innova- tor in dairy packaging, Serac combines PET bottle blowing and pulsed light decontamination in a single machine: the ESL Combox. This machine has al- ready won over several local dairies by enabling them to emphasize their commitment to sustainability while of- fering consumers a longer shelf life.
No chemicals. Longer shelf life.
By combining the blowing of bottles in a controlled environment just be- fore filling and pulsed light treatment of necks and caps, it is possible to achieve a 3-log decontamination on containers. This level of decontamina- tion can be enough for several applica- tions to significantly extend the shelf life. For example, Serac’s ESL Combox is used for fresh white milk with a 30 days shelf life, or for drinking yogurts with a 60 days shelf life in Asia.
Pulsed light is a fast and efficient decontamination method. It destroys the cell membrane of microorganisms and degrades their DNA in less than a millisecond. Using neither water nor chemicals, pulsed light allows dairies
(Source: Serac)
(Source: Serac)
Preform treatment by pulsed light in ESL Combox
to guarantee the absence of treatment residues in the packaging and to bet- ter manage water resources, both in terms of consumption and effluents.
Short supply chains are increasingly appealing to consumers who are sen- sitive to the carbon footprint of the products they buy. And from this point of view, PET bottles have arguments to put forward, especially in comparison with glass.
Their manufacturing requires much less energy and their lightness has a direct impact on the transportation part of GHG emissions. This impact is reinforced when bottles are blown just before filling, since the preformances are 5 times smaller.
Moreover, with the development of the rPET value stream, these bottles can be recycled in a circular system. At this last stage, the PET bottle will still make the difference with glass in terms of energy consumed.
Compact yet flexible machine
The ESL Combox combines the blow- ing, filling and capping functions in a single unit with a footprint up to 25% smaller than that of a conventional fill- ing line.
It is capable of blowing round, rect- angular, oval or complex shaped bot-
tles, ranging from 250 ml to 2 liters. And its patented positive neck trans- fer system allows different shapes and sizes of bottles to be filled on the same machine, with very short changeover times.
Designed for low to medium output, it is ideal for local production units. With this new version of its Combox, Serac provides a packaging solution adapted to the changes in consumer behavior, more attracted by ethical and sustainable products.
Serac’s ESL Combox is used for fresh white milk with a 30 days shelf life, or for drinking yogurts with a 60 days shelf life in Asia.
PROCESSING & PACKAGING
    Cap treatment by pulsed light in ESL Combox
www.ameft.com
AMEFT 4 2021 97













































































   95   96   97   98   99