Multilayer Films for Bag-in-Container Systems Used in Disposable Kegs: Basic Principles of Possible Barrier Concepts

Abstract

Since recent years plastic packaging material is used for draft beer in disposable kegs. Week points of disposable kegs are the barrier properties and the mechanical properties of the packaging material. Beer and other beverages like wine or fruit juices are sensitive to mass transfer of small molecules from outside into the package and vice versa in particular to oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour. Thus the packaging materials must fulfil specific barrier equirements with regard to these gases [1]. The trend to lightweight materials for example the substitution of glass bottles by plastic bottles is not new and the consequences on the barrier properties are well described in literature [2, 3, 4, 5].