new barrier paper for varying temperatures: thinbarrier 303 protects food from frozen to tropical

The combined oxygen, water vapor, and grease barrier maintains its functionality in the temperature range of -18 to +38 °C (-0.4 to + 100 °F). "thinbarrier 303 is one of the best papers on the market in terms of barrier functionality and weight," says Peter Hackl, Head of Packaging at delfort.

Food is exposed to highly diverse environmental conditions along its journey: From packing at the manufacturer to delivery in a refrigerated truck, storage on supermarket shelves, and transport by consumers, temperatures and humidity often vary considerably. The period after purchase, for example, during hot summers, can be a particularly stressful period for packaged food. delfort has developed thinbarrier 303 to cope with these changing temperatures. "The paper is characterized by its excellent combination of oxygen, water vapor, and grease barriers, and is, of course, recyclable," says Hackl.

Under normal conditions, the oxygen barrier allows significantly less than ten grams per square meter per day to pass through. This prevents oxidation over a long period, which can cause fats and oils to become rancid. Furthermore, the fresh aroma and flavor of the foods are preserved. The water vapor barrier also allows less than ten grams per square meter per day to pass through, in both directions. It prevents refrigerated goods such as cheese from drying out. At the same time, it prevents powdered contents such as cocoa or cappuccino mix from clumping due to moisture penetration and prevents cookies from losing their crispness. "The strong barrier properties of thinbarrier 303 against water vapor are maintained even when refrigerated at four degrees Celsius and are even stable when deep-freezing at -18 degrees Celsius," says Hackl.

The grease barrier's strength is particularly evident under heat. It prevents fats and oils contained in the food from escaping from the packaging. This maintains product quality and hygiene, and the appearance of packaged foods. This is crucial for cheese and chocolate, among other things. "The grease barrier remains stable even at temperatures up to 38 degrees Celsius," says Hackl. "And it contains none of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) that were often used in the past."

Additionally, thinbarrier 303 is easy and reliable to use. Its seal strength is 8 N/15 mm, ensuring secure containment of foods. Furthermore, the high seal strength prevents packaging with thinbarrier 303 from tearing during filling, transport, or handling. The heat seal also remains stable under the demanding climate conditions described above. The paper is also suitable for a variety of vertical and horizontal packaging machines.

Despite its strong barrier properties and high stability, thinbarrier 303 is lighter than comparable barrier papers. At the same time, recyclability is ensured: thinbarrier 303 meets the criteria of the standardized test methodology of the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). "The combination of its properties makes our new thinbarrier 303 the ideal barrier paper for demanding food products, from ice cream to confectionery and baked goods to pharmaceutical teas," says Peter Hackl.

about delfort

Founded in 2006 in Traun, Austria, delfortgroup AG is a global innovation leader in the development, production, and distribution of specialty and functional papers for the tobacco, pharmaceutical, food and label industries. With selected partners, delfort has high process competence in the supply chain. The company employs more than 3,200 people worldwide, from Europe to the USA to China.