Aseptic Processing and Packaging

Aseptic processing and packaging are a method of preservation in which a liquid food (or pharmaceutical) product is commercially sterilized, typically by heating and holding at an elevated temperature followed by cooling, then filled into a sterilized package and hermetically sealed with a sterilized closure in a commercially sterile environment. Products manufactured using aseptic technology typically result in better quality due to the short processing times as compared to other shelf stable products produced using traditional technologies such as canning, which also drastically limits package sizes and configurations. Because aseptic products can be packaging in a wide variety of package types and sizes it is widely appealing to consumers and offers great flexibility to processors. Aseptic processing has seen steady growth and is poised to see continued growth in new food categories as the demand for convenient, clean label food increases. Though industry has been slow to apply aseptic processing to multiphase or non-homogenous foods, consumer demand for minimally processed, nutritious foods of high quality will lead to many more multiphase and particle foods being processed aseptically in the future.