GEA Presents Sustainable Solutions for Packaging 

In line with its sustainable packaging solutions, GEA introduces its latest innovation, the PowerPak PLUS; it is a new thermoforming packaging machine, providing better packaging quality, reduced film consumption, simple handling, and higher productivity, the company describes.

GEA OxyCheck is a fully integrated machine, a non-destructive quality control system for modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) that checks the oxygen content and seal integrity of every single food product packaged. The GEA technology uses a sensor spot made of a polystyrene-based fluorescent dye that is printed on the inside of the top film. Similar to an indicator strip, the wavelength of the dye changes depending upon the oxygen content inside the package. 

Sensors on the GEA PowerPak thermoformer activate this sensor spot and then take a reading. GEA has developed a special method for calculating the oxygen concentration based on the light emitted and the temperature. The new measurement system does not affect either the line speed or the throughput of the GEA PowerPak. Defective packages are automatically sorted out individually.

Based on customer requirements, more environmentally-friendly pack solutions will be produced in the future – such as FoodTray – a pack made from paperboard and plastic film, which uses up to 80% less film compared to classical packs. The slicing, loading and packaging line includes a powerful human-machine interface from GEA, which monitors and controls all line components.