The new container opens up possibilities for food and drink makers who want to slake the consumer's thirst for fresher and healthier products. It also gives them a new way to increase shelf life andmarket their products with a nifty novelty.
The new container is called the FreshCan. The FreshCan system stores a blend of vitamins and minerals in a protected shell, called a wedge. The vitamins exit the wedge and are dissolved in thebeverage when the container's tab is pulled.
The "wedge" was developed by Degussa FreshTech Beverages. The Degussa unit was formed in June 2005 to market the FreshCan container. Degussa developed the packaging insert with BallCorp., a supplier of metal and plastic packaging to the food and beverage industries.
The FreshCan Wedge allows processors to store time- and liquid-sensitive ingredients in a dry state. Opening the can results in an immediate pressure drop inside the can. The ingredients areautomatically released into the beverage, dissolve and are ready for consumption.
Earlier this month US-based Brain Twist became the first company to use FreshCan. The company announced the launch of a vitamin and mineral supplement in the new package. The company is marketingthe beverage as a way for consumers to stay healthy during the flu season.
"Scientific studies have clearly demonstrated that vitamins are not stable in normal beverage products and that the longer they stay in contact with liquid, the weaker they become,"the company stated. "Such sensitive substances begin to degrade and lose potency almost immediately when mixed with the liquid beverage at the time of production. In addition, shelf life andexposure to light promote further loss of their potency."
Brain Twist's Defense Vitamin & Mineral Supplement is a blend of zinc, vitamin C, pectin, vitamins A, B2, and E and calcium.