1. INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Beverage processing
IS INDIA READY
FOR ASEPTIC
TECHNOLOGY
Rakesh Rao where the fresh milk is treated thermally
in order to reduce the harmful bacteria No doubt aseptic technology
is changing the dynamics of
F
ollowing the global trends, and keep a product in an aseptic container,
Indian beverage manufacturers inside which, the milk or food can be kept beverage processing globally
are looking for processing safe for a long time without refrigeration. with consumers demanding
alternatives, which can preserve This can increase the efficiency of product more natural products. In
the natural flavour and taste of products. distribution and storage in remote or rural India, due to absence
As a result, they are experimenting with areas, thus helping to bring safe and good
of large-capacity
technologies such as aseptic processing. food to the majority of the population.”
processing line, lack
“Nowadays, more and more people demand
food and beverages in good condition in Need to scale up operations of awareness, etc,
remote locations. Aseptic processing has Though many consider aseptic technology to demand for aseptic
been one of the state-of-the-art and more be a better solution for beverage production, processing is
required alternative in food and beverage low consumption of processed beverages in still low. So will
processing to offer an extended product India compared to developed countries makes the situation
life. When food or beverage is filled into it unviable for beverage manufacturers. “We change in
aseptic package under aseptic process have been offering some aseptic solution for near future,
technology, this processed food will be Indian beverage processors. The minimum
let’s find
able to keep its properties, flavour and required capacity to set up a line is around
nutritional values longer than any other 5,000–6,000 units/hour to make an optimum
out.
packaged food,” observes Cesar Rodriguez, cost to conversion ratio. Unfortunately, the
CEO, MachinePoint Group. average production capacity of some of the
Take the example of dairy industry. Indian food and beverage producers, who
India has been the leading producer of have spoken to us about their needs, had Compared to other processing methods,
milk around the world, and several of the been lower than this minimum production aseptic technology requires qualified
milk producers or farms are in rural areas, speed,” opines Rodriguez. Hence, it is personnel to run the operation. “There is,
where part of the population are living difficult to find suppliers of aseptic fillers for undoubtedly, an increasing demand from
with few resources. “If we consider that smaller capacities. the market for aseptic packaging. But
the climate in India is almost tropical, In addition, the awareness about aseptic Indian manufacturers have to be aware of
the fresh milk is a difficult product to technology is low among Indian beverage the fact that to set up an aseptic operation
transport, since it needs refrigeration and manufacturers. At the same time, there are requires a significant investment and strict
cold chain distribution system in order no incentives from the government for using maintenance procedures. Finally, it is
to reach the people in good condition as latest technologies. But this can be changed, demanding in terms of staff with adequate
well as conserve the milk properties and believes Rodriguez. He suggests, “The technical skills, which makes training an
vitamins longer,” he points out. government should announce financial and important factor,” opines Roland Nicolas,
Experts suggest that aseptic processing manufacturing incentives and lower taxes Dairy & Aseptic Business Development
can offer reliable solution in such situation. for processors using aseptic technology, to Director, Serac – which recently started
Rodriguez elaborates, “One alternative can make it more attractive and affordable to marketing in India for food and dairy sectors.
be aseptic processing and filling system, medium-sized producers.” And that is why companies like Serac give
52 Modern Food Processing | March 2012

2. Beverage processing
The government should Realising the benefits of the The demand is shifting
announce financial and technology, some of the leading beverage for processing beverages
manufacturing incentives manufacturers in India have already at multiple locations. This
and lower taxes for installed aseptic line in their facilities. coupled with availability
processors using aseptic V Gokuldas, Managing Director, HRS of packaging machines
technology, to make it more attractive and Process Systems, states, “We offer a range at competitive prices has enabled small-
affordable to medium-sized producers. of pre-heaters, pasteurisers, sterilisers scale manufacturers to look at aseptic
(aseptic), coolers and chillers for products technology seriously.
Cesar Rodriguez like fruit pulp, fruit juice, pulpy beverage,
CEO, MachinePoint Group V Gokuldas
milk & milk products, etc. These can be
Managing Director,
for hot fill line or aseptic processing. We HRS Process Systems
lot of emphasis on training their customers’ have given over 40 lines in India in the past
personnel. To sum up, says Nicolas, aseptic three to four years to all major beverage
packaging admits no compromise and I am processors like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Parle packaging to go for. “Carton pack has been
sure that the food industry in India has and their franchisee for capacity ranging so far the traditional aseptic packaging
the necessary resources to cope with these from 1,000-27,000 litre per hour (LPH). in India. But all the food and beverage
requirements. With growing demand for aseptic in manufacturers can easily realise today the
beverage sector, we have provided few limits and the financial constraints of this
Demand picking up units. Recently, we supplied high-capacity type of packaging,” says Nicolas.
Factors such as increasing urban population, ones to Jaipuria Group for its plant in Similarly, it helps if beverage processors
rising consumerism, etc is likely to help the Uganda and to Parle Agro in India.” select a complete solution provider. For
beverage industry in India. “For Krones, Though aseptic processing is mostly example, dairies in India may choose
India is an emerging market, which has to used in high-capacity plants, technology between High Density Polyethylene
be most exactly observed – India currently providers are now offering solutions to (HDPE), which is the most commonly
has a population of approximately 1.21 small-scale units as well. This augurs well used packaging material today, and PET,
billion. All those people have needs – but for India, where SMEs dominate the food currently utilised in the beverage industry.
one thing is a basic need: pure, healthy and beverages segment. Nicolas opines, Though PET offers advantages, beverage
beverages. Sooner or later, over certain “Traditionally, the aseptic filling lines are manufacturers still need to source the right
steps of market development, we are high-capacity lines; but recently there has preforms for this application. “Addressing
in India at the point of aseptic filling,” been, in many countries, an increasing this need gap, Serac, being one of the leading
says Stefan Kraus, Product Manager demand for low-capacity equipment. players in UHT milk bottling, is able to offer
Filling Technology, Krones AG, a leading Serac is now in a position to offer this a turn-key solution from blow-moulding to
technology provider for aseptic processing type of equipment, in the region of palletisation, including the aseptic filler, for
and filling. With regard to the plan to 6,000 bottles per hour (BPH).” both types of materials. Serac is thereby in
increase its aseptic processing technology With growth in consumers in the tier a better position to provide some fair advice
in India, he says, “First, we have to talk to II and tier III cities, the demand is shifting and then recommend the right solution,”
the bottlers – to find out their needs and for processing beverages at multiple claims Nicolas.
we have to look to the market requirements. locations. Gokuldas says, “This coupled with Growing market for products with
And, step by step the business of aseptic availability of packaging machines (new or natural flavour is likely to increase the
filling will run up.” reconditioned) at competitive prices has demand for aseptic processing technology.
enabled small-scale manufacturers to look And to seize this opportunity, some global
There is, undoubtedly, an at aseptic technology seriously. We have suppliers have already entered the market,
increasing demand from received some requests for information while others like SIG Combibloc are
on these processing technologies by such keenly tracking the developments. “SIG
the market for aseptic
manufacturers and are working on some of Combibloc, a leading systems supplier
packaging. But Indian
these proposals.” of aseptic beverage cartons and filling
manufacturers have to be
machines, is currently not actively present
aware of the fact that to set up an aseptic
Finetuning strategies in the Indian market. But we feel that
operation requires a significant investment For Indian manufacturers to take advantage this market has tremendous potential, and
and strict maintenance procedures. of aseptic technology, they have to hence we are keeping the market under
Roland Nicolas understand their requirements and analyse observation for the right time to enter,”
Dairy & Aseptic Business Development the benefits of using the new technology. discloses a SIG Combibloc official.
Director, Serac
First, they will have to decide the type of Email: rakesh.rao@infomedia18.in
54 Modern Food Processing | March 2012