PET has a finite gas permeability that can limit the shelf life of some food and drink products. This contribution examines a coating by Sidel, which is supposed to extend the shelf-life of oxygen sensible carbonated beverages. The goal is a guaranteed shelf-life of beer of more than 6 months.

The purpose of packaging for foodstuffs is on the one hand to protect the products from external impact, on the other hand it is supposed to prevent quality determining changes in-between production and consumption as far as possible. These goals are to be prioritised regardless of further requirements for the product, be it from the point of view of economy and ecology, logistics, marketing or availability of raw materials. This part of the article series on pasteurisation examines material and PET bottles production and also barrier coatings and closures.

A research project carried out at the Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing in Berlin (VLB) [EV] on the subject of “pasteurisation of carbonated soft drinks filled in PET bottles” involved testing different bottle/closure systems to establish their suitability for pasteurisation. The results of initial investigations described and discussed in this article serve as a basis for a comprehensive assessment of suitability for pasteurisation.

For some time, returnable goods have been at the centre of discussion by society at large. The focus is on aspects of process ecology, i.e. protection of the environment and resources. Extensive consideration has also been given to the economics of the returnable loop. The condition of stacking crates has, in the first instance, a major influence on safety in beverage operations and in the logistics chain. And there is also the risk of injuries to consumers due to defective crates.

Oxygen is one factor which causes beverages to deteriorate after filling. In particular, the replacement of glass bottles by plastic bottles has implications for the shelf life. As a consequence, packaging manufacturers and food technologists must have precise knowledge about the composition of packaging materials, oxygen permeation and the interaction between oxygen, the packaging and the foodstuffs. This article discusses the theory of permeation and factors influencing permeation. Results of oxygen permeation through plastic bottles and closures are presented. The results show that the three main methods for barrier improvement are internal coating of PET bottles, the use of PEN bottles and the incorporation of oxygen scavengers into bottles and closures..

Globalization in the brewing industry includes numerous takeovers of breweries and their integration into internationally active brewing groups. Product lines are incorporated or consolidated and existing technological solutions often need adaptation. This entails the necessity to process kegs with different fittings. KHS, Kriftel, has developed a system that is capable of seamlessly processing two different fitting types without system downtime.

Since early 2006, the Turkish Süral Group, which operates a chain of hotels on the Turkish Riviera, has been brewing its own beer and indeed bottling it for consumption not only in its own hotels but also for the free market, both national and international. At the beginning of the year 2006, Süral installed a complete Krones beer line for handling both returnable and non-returnable glass bottles. The line has been dimensioned for a speed of 24 000 0.33 l or 0.2 l bottles an hour, and for 20 000 0.5 l bottles an hour.

This contribution deals with sustainable improvement of the microbiological situation in breweries. Though the term “microbiological maintenance” sounds new, it has long been an integral part of comprehensive hygiene management in the food industry. Complementing CIP/SIP, environmental hygiene, GMP/GHP and aspects of product integrity (HACCP), microbiological maintenance includes measures for checking the effectiveness of cleaning and hygienic prophylaxis.

In March 1992, three Romanian businessmen established a small brewery in Targu Mures – under the name of S.C. Bere Mures S.A. Currently, the company is moving towards 1.5 million hl annual output. The newly installed equipment is geared to reflect this development and to cater for the planned market extension.

Plastic bottles take root due to numerous advantages (e.g. breaking strength, little weight) increasingly as primary packaging for beverages on the market. For the production of these bottles the material polyethylene terephtalate (PET) is widely used. Beside the advantages of PET-bottles, there are miscellaneous disadvantages, which, among other things, can have a negative effect on shelf life and preservation of biologically sensitive beverages. This article gives a literature overview on tunnel pasteurization.