Until now, it has not been possible to incorporate probiotics into aseptic beverage packaging due to their inability to survive common heat treatments used in processing. Probiotics can also be unstable during storage, typically restricting their use to refrigerated beverages with a short shelf life. 

Combining AnaBio’s encapsulation technology with SIG’s aseptic filling technology overcomes these restrictions, according to the companies, enabling the F&B industry to produce beverages containing live probiotics that can remain at room temperature for long periods. 

This represents a completely new consumer offering, fulfilling the need for healthy, tasty, and nutritious probiotic beverages in sustainable and convenient packaging.   

“Our innovative patented ‘encapsulation’ technology coats probiotic cells, such as Lactobacillus strains, with a protective layer. This allows the strains to withstand high temperatures during processing,” Sinéad Bleiel, founder of AnaBio Technologies. 

A “step change” for probiotics 
Christoph Wegener, chief markets officer at SIG, says the development marks the “creation of a new product category,” which overcomes the current limitations of fresh probiotic beverage products. 

“Our innovation offers lower distribution costs as no refrigeration is required, longer shelf life, increased reach and less food wastage for both retailers and consumers,” he says.  

“Aseptic probiotic yogurt drinks demonstrate our continuous drive to innovate to rapidly meet changing consumer needs while offering high product quality and longer shelf life in sustainable packaging. Our aseptic carton packs are proven to be one of the most sustainable packaging solutions in the market.” 

This year, SIG introduced SIG Digital Printing for aseptic carton packs produced in Europe. The printing solution offers full-color digital printing without needing cylinders or printing forms for flexibility and agility to meet specific customer demands. 

Answering consumer health demands 
Utilizing aseptic packaging for probiotic products also means an expansion in needed health benefits for consumers. 

“When the probiotic product is consumed, the coating is naturally broken down by digestive enzymes releasing the probiotic to colonize the small intestine and deliver their health benefits,” explains Bleiel. 

“It’s a real step-change innovation in the field of probiotic beverage products.” 

SIG has applied specific filling and processing parameters that ensure a homogenous suspension of probiotic cells per pack. This ensures the safe filling of probiotics into SIG’s aseptic packaging solutions at the highest quality levels. 

Wegener says the opportunities that arise from this innovation and partnership are manifold: 

“Including creating new product segments in emerging markets wher highly nutritious products are urgently needed, to combining sustainable packaging solutions with healthy probiotic concepts previously only available in the fresh aisle.”