All natural: Zanders develops grease-resistant chemical-free paper for direct food contact

11 Feb 2020 --- Zanders has launched a completely natural grease- and oil-resistant paper for food packaging without the use of chemicals. The enhanced Zanbarrier NGR (“Natural Grease Resistant”) paper also boasts a higher density, which the German manufacturer of high-quality specialty papers and cartons for labels touts as opening up new application possibilities, notably in the fast food sector. The first production is planned for the end of February and the product is expected to be ready for processing by Zanders’ customers by April.

The higher density of the improved Zanbarrier NGR makes it suitable for numerous forms of flexible food packaging that require oil and grease-resistance as well as wet-strength. This includes fast foods like doner kebab or french fries, bread roll bags, butter wrappers, pizza and confectionery cartons, cookie bags or food labels. While the use of 100 percent virgin fibers and ISEGA certification ensure the suitability for direct food contact.

Consisting of nothing but pure virgin fiber, Zanbarrier NGR is 100 percent biodegradable and an ideal choice to avoid any “non-natural” material in food packaging. The environmentally-friendly grade is produced on Zanders’ 6.6 m wide PM3, the biggest and most efficient paper machine for barrier papers in Europe, the supplier indicates.

“In the unique production process of Zanbarrier NGR, the cellulose fibers are subjected to an incredibly intense grinding process over several refining stages,” Michael Berner, Sales Manager Food Packaging at Zanders, tells PackagingInsights.

“The surface area of the fiber is greatly enlarged so that the absorption of water into the fibers is greatly increased creating a gel-like fiber mass – in technical jargon – ‘slow draining’ because the fibers actually feel greasy after refining. The cellulose fibers treated in this way form a tight, strong cross-linked sheet structure on the paper machine thus creating a finished paper, which has a 100 percent natural barrier to oil and grease without the use of fluorocarbon or other chemicals.”

Excellent opacity combined with outstanding printing and converting properties allow any kind of processing from micro flute to lamination, Berner adds.

In customers’ hands
Zanders conducted tests to optimize the production of the enhanced Zanbarrier NGR step by step towards market maturity. It took around nine months from the first test production to the delivery of the first samples, Berner indicates.

Berner tells PackagingInsights that the first samples and trial reels have already been sent to customers. “The first regular production at our mill in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, is already planned for the end of February so that the product will be processed by our customers in March or April.”

“Thanks to its exceptional quality, Zanbarrier NGR will play a similar role in flexible food packaging as Chromolux, for example, in the label paper market,” Berner concludes.

By Joshua Poole