NanoPack Inc., a Wayne, Pa., developer of proprietary barrier coatings for films used in processed food packaging, introduces a new coating called Bairicade XT that it says is a water-based product that can offer reduced costs and the ability for coating and printing in-line on high-speed flexographic and rotogravure printing presses.

The coating, with global patents pending, is said to provide extended shelf-life for products such as snacks, nuts, seeds, seasonings, candy, coffee and tea. The a in advanced technology allows Bairicade XT to provide a clear, ultra-thin oxygen barrier coating product using 50% less water than previous coatings. With less drying requirements, shorter ovens are sufficient and press speeds can be greatly increased. This barrier coating can also be used with high-speed central-impression flexographic presses economically, according to NanoPack.

The coating also supports sustainability programs with source reduction, the elimination of highly chlorinated alternative coatings and composts with current bio-film products. The new coating has also been approved for indirect food contact by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and petitions for Health Canada approval have been filed.

A fraction of a micron thick, the coating is created by evenly dispersing clay platelets in a resin, which then stack up like a tightly constructed brick wall. Oxygen, a major enemy in food packaging, is blocked as a result, thus helping to extend shelf life of packaged foods. The new coating also provides a barrier to most organic volatiles, providing excellent protection for flavor and aroma, as well as shielding the inks and adhesives in those laminations.