Jari Räsänen, Stora Enso Oyj, 3.5.2012 1
Water covers 70.9% of the Earth's surface, and is vital for all known forms of life. Water is transparent liquid Water may be in liquid, ice or vapour/steam formulations Water fit for human consumption is called drinking water or potable water. Water that is not potable may be made potable by filtration or distillation, or by a range of other methods. 2
3
The human body contains from 55% to 78% water, depending on body size. To function properly, the body requires between one and seven liters of water per day to avoid dehydration Humans require water with few impurities. Common impurities of water include metal salts and oxides, including copper, iron, calcium and lead, and/or harmful bacteria, such as Vibrio. Some solutes of water are acceptable and even desirable for taste enhancement and to provide needed electrolytes 4
forms Water packages: Drinking water & food packages Drinking water is obvious article to be packed Also noted is that normally, about 20% of water intake of human being comes from food, while the rest comes from drinking water and beverages (caffeinated included). Water in food is not so demanding material to be packed than pure liquid drinking water because in food it is part of packed food matrix with some taste or aroma compounds already. Water in food set also high level demands for water holding capacity of food material itself and also qritical requirements for used packaging materials to keep humidity or liquid water inside the package or allow in the other hand water/humidity/steam to go in and out from the package into outside environment to keep packed food in a good form and fresh look. 5
Odour & Taste of Water Water can dissolve many different substances, giving it varying tastes and odors. Humans and other animals have developed senses that enable them to evaluate the potability of water by avoiding water that is too salty or putrid. The taste of spring water and mineral water, often advertised in marketing of consumer products, derives from the minerals dissolved in it. However, pure H2O is tasteless and odorless. The advertised purity of spring and mineral water refers to absence of toxins, pollutants and microbes, not the absence of naturally occurring minerals. Drinking water is a very demanding product to be packed. Water can take off-odours and off-tastes directly from the contacts of other materials Water can take off-odours and off-tastes through open air without direct contact 6
Packaging demands To cover the commercial product in to the right size for customers to buy To protect the packed material in right way To allow transportation of packages into to the markets To maintain packed matrix free off-odour and off-taste To maintain packed matrix free of microbes and other safety threats To maintain packed matrix self-life as set in production To keep packed matrix in good shape in customer environment (car, home, trip, etc.) until used as set Packaging materials: Fossil based polymers Bio based polymers Composite structures (Fiber + polymer/bio-polymer combinations) Tomorrow challange: fiber based (wood based) materials and biopolymers 7
Drinking water packaging need good barrier to: Keep water inside the package Avoid off-taste s Avoid off-odour s Avoid microbiological threats Drinking water packaging demands are Easy to use (open/close) Safe Transparent (or not-transparent?) Off-taste & off-odour free material Easy to recycle 8
Scientific American pp76/sept./2010 9
Scientific American pp76/sept./2010 10
, For example: 11
13