Package Evaluation Training 5 conductivityredink customer

26/09/2012

Package Evaluation
T i i
Training
Conductivity and Red Ink Test

PE-05/2012-04-01

Agenda
1. Package Integrity – General information
2. Conductivity Test + Practical
3. Red ink Test + Practical

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1. Package Integrity –
G
General
l Information
I f
ti
Conductivity and Red Ink Test

PE-05/2012-04-01

1. Package Integrity – General
Information
► This

test method aimed to confirm the tightness of
microbiological barrier for aseptic package.
package
► The microbiological barrier consist of Inner polyethylene,
Aluminum Foil, Lamination layer between the Al-foil &
paper board.
► Following test methods used to find out the integrity of
microbiological barrier:
• Conductivity
y test - Screen
• Red ink test - Tightness
• Copper test – Contact position

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1. Package Integrity – General
Information
1. Outer PE
2. Paperboard
p
3. Lamination

4. Al-foil
5. Inner coating 1
6. Inner coating 2

Depth of Conductivity Red Ink
Defect
Test
Test

Tight
Package

Corrective
Actions
Needed?

A

X

X

No

Yes

B

X

-

Yes

Yes

C

X

-

Yes

Yes

D

-

-

Yes

No
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2 Conductivity
2.
C d ti it Test

T t
Conductivity and Red Ink Test

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2. Conductivity Test
Principle
► Detect

Rupture
p
in Inner PE layers,
y , which leaves
Aluminum foil uncoated
► If positive reading, confirm package integrity by
red ink test
Note:
Only Red ink test used for high fat products, fat
creates insulating layer on the inside of the
packages and prevent current from circulation.
Note! Conductivity test cannot detect blocked TS
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2. Conductivity Test
Set up of the conductivity test

3

6
5

1
Salt solution:

7

Dilute 10 gram of NaCl
or salt to 1 litre of water.
(1% salt solution)

4
2
Note: Ammeter part no. 90243-0110

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2. Conductivity Test
Preparation of the samples
► Cut

the p

package
g in
two halves, or leaving
the LS side intact to
keep the package in
one sample.

► Rinse

the packages
with clean tap water
ensuring that all
product residue is
gone.

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2. Conductivity Test
Preparation of the samples
►

Dry thoroughly the cut
edges of the package
with paper towel. Trim
the edges if necessary.
Wet edges can give a
false positive.

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2. Conductivity Test
Procedure
Add 1% salt solution into a plastic
basin.
► Fill a third of the package with the salt
solution
► Immerse the package in the basin. Salt
solution level on outside package must
higher than the flaps.
► Dip the positive probe (Red) of the
ammeter inside the package, the
negative one (Black) into the solution in
the bowl
►

Note! Check the battery of ammeter
before testing
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2. Conductivity Test
Evaluation of the samples


Negative reading
If the reading is 0 μA


•

Positive reading
If the reading is >0 μA
- If the reading is unsteady, wipe the edge
once more and make a new reading.
If still unsteady, let the sample dry.
- If the deflection is quick and steady,
steady
there is uncovered Al-foil. The sample
must be further confirmed by red ink test
for package integrity



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3 R
3.
Red
d IInk
kT
Testt

Conductivity and Red Ink Test

PE-05/2012-04-01

3. Red Ink Test
Principle
► An

aseptic
p p
package
g is defined as leaking
g when
red Ink penetrates through all coating layers
(inside PE + Al-foil + laminate) and leave stains
on the paperboard.

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3. Red Ink Test
Preparation of the samples
Cut the packages in two halves or
keep the package in one sample.
► During trouble shooting a hole can
be cut out in the front panel of the

package. This allows investigation
of the package as a whole.
► Dry carefully the inside of the
halves of packages with a paper
towel
►

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3. Red Ink Test
Procedure
Pour red ink inside the half
package red ink must over the
package,
critical points of the package,
such as corners, TS, crosses.
► Leave the red ink inside the
package for at least 5 minutes.
► Remove the excess of red ink
with the pipette.
*** Note! Do not pour
po r red ink out
o t
►

of the package as this could lead
to false positive reading.
►

Dry the package thoroughly,

wet ink left in the package
could jeopardise the result and
create a false positive reading
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4. Red Ink Test
Evaluate the samples
the ink has dried, unfold
the flaps and peel off the outer
layer.
► To facilitate evaluation it is
recommended that the
paperboard is peeled off starting
from the edge of the LS.
►Visually inspect the package.
If any ink has penetrated this is
considered a defect.

Integrity

►When

Defective

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4. Red Ink Test
Evaluate the samples
►If

the red ink spot is larger on
the peeled external layer than
on the package side, it means
that the ink has leaked from the
OUTSIDE of the package to the
INSIDE
►This

is NOT an integrity defect
but is a false positive.
p

►It

is very important to ensure
that there are no ink spillage on
the working station during this
test as it could interfere with the
result.
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End of conductivity
and
d Red
R d ink
i k test
t t

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A
Appendix
di –Chemicals
Ch i l
Red ink and Copper solution

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Appendix : Chemicals
Leak detection fluid – Red ink

TP Part no. 90298-26

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Appendix : Chemicals
Leak detection fluid – Red ink

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Appendix : Chemicals
Leak detection fluid – Red ink

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