High Energy Biscuits Packaging

1. Golden rules
• Please introduce yourself in the chat box at the start of the meeting
• Please mute your microphone unless you are speaking
• We encourage you to turn on your camera, in a spirit of participation
• Please feel free to ask questions in the chat box or by raising your hand: questions
will be answered during h dedicated Q&A session
• The meeting will be recorded (please alert us if this poses a problem)

2. Good practices and guidance
HEB packaging
2022 December
WFP - SCOQ
Claudia Feldgitscher, Head of Product Development, Consumer Flexibles, Mondi
Carole Manceau, Packaging Expert, WFP

3. www.menti.com
Code: 8774 1341
https://www.mentimeter.com/app/presentation/al6mf7356mt
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Let’s start with a quick question !

4. HEB 2.0
Increase shelf life

5. Project Background
Best in class
specification
and QC
guidance
2021: WFP
updated spec
18 months SL
2020: shelf
life analysis
concluded
2016: Project
HEB 2.0
started
WFP revised
its spec to
reflect 12 mo
SL
2016: Rancid
biscuits
reported by 8
COs
2009: WFP
issued its first
HEB spec – 24
months

6. Packaging analysis
Field interview audit / Observations
Leading root causes of packaging failure identified:
▪ Film specification. End-up in loosing barrier properties
▪ Sealing issues
▪ Packaging size vs. product size
Lab Analysis
▪ Forensic analysis of samples from different suppliers
▪ Analysis on failure root causes on selected field samples
▪ Evaluation of different film alternatives
▪ Discussion with suppliers to change film composition
▪ Write enhanced specifications
▪ Define/Refine Performance Test Protocols
Materials and Specification
Manufacturing issues and field/supplier collaboration
▪ Discussions on specification standardization across all agencies based on WFP improved specification
▪ Quality Testing implementation
▪ Leverage Partnership and Information with suppliers
Industrial
tests
Shelf
life test
Gelbo
test
Sealing
strength
test
WVTR &
OTR
Simulated
transport
test

7. • Mondi analysed samples coming from 3 different suppliers
• (PET or OPP) / (alu 7) / (PP) (total typical thickness 62mic +/-3)
• PET / met PET / PE (total typical thickness 69mic +/-3)
• Tests: penetrant red, vacuum test, microtome cut, light leaking, WVTR and OTR
measurements
• General observations :
• damaged laminate in the sealing area
• visible delamination in the areas where the material was folded
• visible delamination in sealing grooves and the areas that was folded
• micro perforations mainly on aluminium based material
leaking through the sealing Not leaking outside, but visible due to
damaged metallisation
Pin holes in alu based laminate
Packaging analysis

8. • Benefit: Increased shelf-life up to 18 months
• Importance for food manufacturers to perform their own shelf-life test to validate packaging
• Need identified: support manufacturers to ensure good packaging integrity
• Define minimum quality controls to be performed (at reception, online, release)
• Define best in class specification
➔ Project kicked off with Mondi in 2021
12
Conclusion of the heb 2.0 project

9. HEB Packaging
Quality processes improvement

10. Quality processes improvement
Methodology
• Understand product’s requirements
• Understand supply chain’s requirements
• Define the specification to break down packaging requirements
• Define quality controls to be performed along the supply chain and ensure good
communication with stakeholders
#1 step 1: production
of the laminate
•Good metallization
•Thickness
•Visibility and
durability of the
printing -
traceability
#2: packing of the
biscuits
•No migration from
laminate to food
•No foreign body
before and after
packing (tightly
sealed)
#3 transport (ship,
truck)
•Protection against
moisture, light and
oxygen
•Mechanical
protection
•Optimized size and
pkg configuration
•Prevent food fraud
#4: Storage
•Stacking up to 2m
•Protection against
moisture, light and
oxygen
•Mechanical
protection
•Optimized size and
pkg configuration
•Prevent food fraud
#5: distribute / dipense
•Size meets
beneficiaries need
•Prevent sharing
•Prevent
contamination
#6: Consumer
•application: high
energy biscuits
•requirements: shelf
life 18M,
•no contamiattaion
•Good quality and
nutritious

11. Quality processes improvement
• Learnings and recommendations
• Specification:
• Importance to add: optical density and minimum seal strength in spec
• Metallized PET layer is sufficient
• Technical expectation
• Recommendation to use dye penetrant test for microleaks detection
• Addition of recommendation on corrective actions and segregation in case of detection of
leaking sachets
• Include shelf life requirements of packaging material

12. How to perform quality controls
• 1. Quality checks at reception
o Check compliance against WFP specification of food grade certificate and certificate of
analysis from packaging suppliers (including WVTR and OTR for laminate and ECT for
cartons)
o Measure thickness of the metallized flexible material and grammage of cartons
o Visual inspection of the design/marking (carton, metallized flexible material …)
o Primary packaging received with foreign object or torn/exposed condition shall be
rejected.

13. How to perform quality controls
• 2. Online quality checks
o Weight of the box (filled)
o Check online printing of dates and batch number
o Leak test
o Frequency: at least every hour (depending on the speed of the line)
o Number of sachets per nozzle: 3
o Minimum pressure recommended: -25kPa
o Minimum holding time: 1min
o If at least one sachet does not pass the test, additional tests must be performed on sachets (recommended
10) produced since the previous test. If issue is confirmed, production must be stopped and immediate
corrective actions on the line must be taken until the leak test is passed. WFP strongly recommends to block
the products until re-testing is performed.
o If the supplier does not have a leak detection machine (e.g. vacuum test), it is highly recommended to check the sealing by submerging
individual sachets in water bath for 5 minutes and check if food product is wet.

14. How to perform quality controls
• 2. Online quality checks
o Highly recommended:
- Sealing quality: the minimum seal strength of longitudinal and transversal seal
- 10N/15mm (test speed 100mm/min)
- Penetrant red test to be performed for microleaks detections
- Frequency: twice per shift (at shift handover and in the middle)
- Number of sachets: 3 sachets (depending on the speed of the machine)
- Time: keep the penetrant red inside sachets for 15min

15. How to perform quality controls
• 3. Release quality checks
o A document with pictures of examples of “good” and “bad” sachets (sealing quality,
alignment, ink-jet information…) must be displayed next to each packaging machine
o Traceability markings, such as date and batch number on the pack & on the box
o Online printing (e.g. laser, ink-jet) adhesion shall be tested during the packing process and
segregation and/or rejection of sachets with double code/faded/erasable printing shall be
done.
o Drop test on boxes

16. Coding and traceability
• Use of laser coding on sachets recommended to print dates and batch number
• Marking of the product (primary and secondary packaging) shall facilitate tracing at least up to
date of production and preferably more (e.g. time, packing machine)
• Each lot should be completely traceable to each raw material used
• Each lot should be released only after clearance by the internal laboratory and quality
assurance practices.

17. Shelf life of packaging material
• Shelf life recommended by the packaging supplier for all packaging (flexible laminate, carton
box, bottle, cap, bag….) as well as corresponding storage conditions
• Food manufacturers must ensure storage conditions are met in their WH
• Must be reflected in packaging specifications available at food manufacturer premises

18. Inspection of primary packaging manufacturers
• Technical visit to each primary packaging supplier must be performed by food manufacturers
(to approve new suppliers and minimum every 2 years)

19. Conclusion
• Having the right packaging material goes hand in hand with ensuring a good
packaging integrity
• It remains the responsibility of the manufacturer to comply with WFP
requirements and ensure proper packaging integrity
• WFP is performing compliance testing on packaging
• Controls of packaging quality processes will be reinforced during audits
• WFP can provide support to manufacturers to improve packaging quality

20. Additionnal insights
- If PET is used as outer layer ➔ higher sealing temperature ➔ sealing strength can be
higher
- PE is suitable as inner layer (recommended thickness: 40mic)
- Met PET is a must (over met OPP) ➔ the adhesion of metallization on PET is better
than on OPP therefore providing a better barrier material
- Measuring optical density of metallized layer and performing shelf life analysis will
allow to check the quality of the films used (control of the metallization)

21. Q&A session