VATIS UPDATE Article

Metalvuoto, Italy, have debuted a new generation of biobased flexible substrates designed to keep processed foods fresh on store shelves, based on NatureWorks’s high barrier Ingeo polymers. While Ingeo film has been used for years in fresh food packaging, this is the first application for longer shelf-life foods that are increasingly packaged in flat, stand up, or squared bottom pouches.

The introduction comes in response to a strong interest from the flexible packaging market in packaging simplification, with brands looking to move from complex multilayer laminates to simpler packaging solutions without compromising shelf-life. The Metalvuoto film allows using a two-layer pouch with performance matching that of three-layer pouches. The new film, “Ingeo Propylester” provides a significantly better oxygen barrier than metalized biaxially oriented polypropylene, eliminating the need for an additional sealant layer and enabling a structural package simplification.