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Inline Seal Inspection Maintains Quality of Retort Pouches

Investing in a state-of-the-art production facility, Brazilian pet food manufacturer Special Dog Company also opted to move to 100% inline seal inspection for its flexible pouches, eliminating concerns about poorly sealed product getting to the customer.

Thanks to a 100% inline seal inspection process, leak-free packages ensure product quality and leave no unwanted residue on machinery.
Thanks to a 100% inline seal inspection process, leak-free packages ensure product quality and leave no unwanted residue on machinery.
Photo courtesy of Engilico

The global pet food market reached nearly $97 billion in 2020 and is projected to register a CAGR of 4.8% through 2026, according to Reportlinker.com. But perhaps more important than the pure numbers is the idea of growing pet humanization—a shift from pet ownership to parenting, a growing bond that brings with it a willingness to spend more on pets.

In 2019, Special Dog Company inaugurated an ultra-modern pet food factory with automated processing and packaging.In 2019, Special Dog Company inaugurated an ultra-modern pet food factory with automated processing and packaging.Photo courtesy of EngilicoTop-quality, nutritional, flavorful pet food is more important in this market than ever. Special Dog Company, established in Brazil two decades ago, deployed a state-of-the-art production facility in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo in 2019 to increase its product portfolio and keep up with the growing market. When it did so, an important requirement set forth by the company was to move to 100% inline seal inspection to safeguard the packages and the wet pet food inside.

In 2020, the pet food maker produced more than 22 million packages, or more than 2.2 million kg of wet pet food, according to Production Manager Octávio Soberón. The food is packaged in retort packages, including flexible pouches and aluminum trays. Sealing of those filled packages is the culmination of a complex process and is essential to protect the food’s quality once it leaves the plant. Incompletely sealed packages, and packages with product spillover outside of the seal, both negatively impact the packaging processes. Exposed product results in contaminated machines, as well production and labor time lost to cleaning, manual sorting of bad packages, etc. If the poorly sealed packages leave the production site, the impact could be even greater, with potential risk for expensive product returns, call backs and brand damage.

Thanks to a 100% inline seal inspection process, leak-free packages ensure product quality and leave no unwanted residue on machinery.Thanks to a 100% inline seal inspection process, leak-free packages ensure product quality and leave no unwanted residue on machinery.Photo courtesy of EngilicoThese were all key factors in choosing a 100% inline seal inspection system. “The sealing of flexible packages is a critical phase in the packaging process,” Soberón says. “Even with a top-quality packaging machine, bad sealings could occur from time to time.” Defective seals are often caused by wrinkles, folds, or product in the sealing area and lead to open or leaking packages.

Wet pet food is especially prone to sealing concerns. Because many glutinous sauces or gels are used in the recipes, it can easily stick in or around the package’s sealing area during the filling process.


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Badly sealed pouches are a major concern during the sterilization process because, when the pet food is heated, it might leak and pollute the autoclave. The disruption to production and man-hours for autoclave cleaning has a domino effect in cost. Worse, if compromised packages are not detected, they can lead to reduced shelf life, liability for health risks, and broad recalls.

“Packaging is also responsible for making sure the product gets from the factory, through transport and distribution, and on to retail and the home without any loss to the integrity of the product,” Soberón says. “At the latter end, it may also be responsible for providing barriers to oxidation and moisture migration, which can affect palatability and the nutritional composition of the product.”

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