Flexible packaging products refer to
the use of soft materials such as high-barrier plastic films or metal foils and
their composite films to make bags or other shapes of containers. To commercial
aseptic, packaged food that can be stored at room temperature. The processing
principle and art method are similar to metal cans for storing food. Common
packaging containers include plastic cups and plastic bottles. Cooking bags,
boxes, etc.
Because the
allowable critical pressure difference of the flexible packaging material is
particularly small, the pressure in the container during the sterilization
process is very easy to burst after the temperature rises. The characteristic
of the cooking bag is that it is afraid of rising and not pressure; and plastic
cups and bottles are both afraid of rising and pressure, so it is necessary to
use a reverse pressure sterilization process in sterilization. This process
determines that the sterilization temperature and mortar pressure need to be
controlled separately in the production of flexible packaging The sterilization
equipment, such as full water type (water bath type), water spray type (top
spray, side spray, full spray), steam and air mixing type sterilization,
generally set various parameters by PLC for automatic control.
It should be
emphasized that the four elements of the metal can sterilization process
control (initial temperature, sterilization temperature, time, key factors) are
also applicable to the sterilization control of flexible packaged food, and the
pressure during the sterilization and cooling process must be strictly
controlled.
Some
companies use steam sterilization for flexible packaging sterilization. In
order to prevent the cooking bag from bursting, simply input compressed air
into the steam sterilization pot to apply a back pressure excitation to the
packaging bag. This is a scientifically wrong practice. Because steam
sterilization is carried out under pure steam conditions, if there is air in
the pot, an air bag will be formed, and this air mass will travel in the
sterilization pot to form some cold areas or cold spots, which makes the
sterilization temperature uneven, resulting in Insufficient sterilization of
some products. If you must add compressed air, you need to be equipped with a
powerful fan, and the power of this fan is carefully designed to allow
compressed air to be forcedly circulated by the high-power fan immediately
after entering the pot. The air and steam flow are mixed, In order to ensure
that the temperature in the sterilization pot is uniform, to ensure the product
sterilization effect.