Jun 7, 2018 - 10 min
THE IMPORTANT ROLE INTERIOR CAN COATINGS PLAY IN FOOD PRESERVATION
According to Markets and Markets, the can coatings market is experiencing growth rates of 2-3% annually. Gain insight into the important role interior can coatings play in food preservation and why certain solutions are the smart choice to make.
Prevent Metal Corrosion
Food packaging corrosion can cause significant issues, such as:
- Compromised can integrity
- Tainted or spoiled food contents due to metal pickup
- Leached coating ingredients
- Impacted can aesthetics
- Packaging failure
Interior can coatings help prevent metal corrosion and preserve the can’s contents. Given that a can’s shelf life is typically expected to be two years or more, interior coatings are crucial to prolonging the can’s integrity and longevity.
Serve as Barrier Protection
Interior can coatings also are responsible for providing a barrier between the package and the food. In particular, they must resist acids and salts, which are typically used as preservatives. Moreover, the coatings are designed to resist the high temperature retort conditions used to pasteurize and/or cook the packaged material. Offering a superior barrier over other packaging options, interior coatings and cans overall help improve and extend food quality and safety.
Minimize Exposure to Environmental Factors
Additionally, these coatings minimize the can’s exposure to environmental factors. In other words, interior can coatings:
- Reduce spoil risks and increase shelf life
- Maintain food safety during processing, transport and storage
One of the ways interior can coatings are able to do this is by adhering evenly and properly to the substrate over a range of temperatures and conditions.
Meet Global Food Contact Regulations
Furthermore, these coatings meet global food contact compliance regulations to promote trade growth worldwide. This entails adhering to various conditions under an ever-evolving regulatory landscape to ensure food preservation without compromising application performance needs
Smart Interior Can Coatings
Given the important role interior can coatings play in food preservation, it’s a good idea to work with a supplier that can address customer specifications at a global scale. Bostik supplies a range of copolyesters that are used as epoxy alternatives for interior can coatings without using BPA in the formulation. As global regulations get tighter with regards to BPA-containing coatings, Bostik continues to innovate non-BPA alternatives.
Additionally, these smart interior can coatings offer the optimal balance of flexibility, strength and chemical resistance. Furthermore, as an Arkema company, Bostik and Arkema serve as a one-stop-shop for customers’ can coating needs, providing both interior and exterior solutions worldwide.
For more information on these coatings and how they aid in food preservation, visit www.bostik.com.