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Food processing industry supplier GEA has unveiled a new tray for sustainable food packaging.

FoodTray is an ecological carton/film composite solution designed to be assembled in thermoforming machines, which is billed as easily openable by the consumer in a single motion.

According to Hans-Günter Donges from GEA, FoodTray is a step towards meeting Germany’s packaging recycling quota of 63 per cent by 2022.

“We’ve reduced film content by up to 70 percent. At FoodTray, fossil-based raw materials are replaced with fibres from renewable raw materials; the recycled content is more than 80 percent. At the same time, we make no compromises in terms of stability.

“Likewise, the cardboard and film can be easily separated and recycled by the consumer,” he said.

The system comprises a corrugated cardboard carton with film on the inside. The film is thermoformed and sealed directly to the carton, after which customer-specific packaging processes are able to take place.

“The investment costs are low and the result is ecologically sustainable packaging,” said Donges.

Donges adds that brand information can be printed over the entire surface, and the solution gives companies the opportunity to bolster their sustainability credentials.

“At our production site in Wallau, Germany, we have put a sample system into operation where diverse customer-specific solutions can be tested,” he said.

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