At the workshop “Towards Net-Zero: Strategies and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the food industry” within the framework of the Vietfood & Beverage - Propack Vietnam 2024 exhibition, pioneers in the field of circular economy development, with a special interest in green production in Vietnam, shared their experiences and practical activities on the journey towards Net Zero.
During the workshop, GEA Procomac - one of the world's largest suppliers of technological supply chains (machinery, plants, packaging, etc.) for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, shared about aseptic filling technology. This is a technology that plays a strategic role in contributing to the supplier's sustainable development goals and achieving Net Zero by 2040, while also providing sustainable development solutions for many major partners of GEA Procomac in the world, including Vietnam.
Bottling is an indispensable step in any beverage production process to complete the product. There are many bottling methods such as hot, cold, aseptic (sterile at room temperature) being applied in the world beverage industry today.
Sharing at the workshop, Mr. Vincent Mauer - General Director of GEA Vietnam and Philippines Co., Ltd. said that Aseptic is a technology that includes a complex of closely connected stages (from processing, mixing, UHT product sterilization, filling and capping) to produce a product. The process takes place in a closed and sterile system. Both the bottle and the cap must also be sterilized.
To reduce the environmental impact, the Aseptic filling system is capable of recovering bottle and cap sterilization solution (Peracetic Acid - PAA), recovering sterile water in addition to low energy consumption.
Mr. Vincent Mauer said that GEA has been developing Aseptic technology since 1993 and has continuously improved it, to date it has built the 7th generation. This technology complies with ISO 14021, focusing on saving space, water and energy. The 7th generation Aseptic technology line reduces water consumption by up to 91% and reduces cleaning time by half compared to the previous generation. Thanks to that, GEA customers can save up to 97,500 m3 of water per year, equivalent to the amount of water used by 2,100 people in one year.
“GEA is focused on minimizing the use of PET plastic, this is where we can make the biggest difference,” said Vincent Mauer. Compared to hot filling, he said, aseptic technology allows GEA customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the use of plastic and saving water. This means manufacturers can optimize their plastic and water consumption.
He cited the Vietnamese market itself, with the pioneering investment in the Aseptic chain system to produce healthy beverage products, Tan Hiep Phat's bottles, thanks to the application of GEA's 7th generation filling system, have reduced the weight of the bottle by 50%, from 27 grams to 13.5 grams, equivalent to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions per bottle. "This allows Tan Hiep Phat to achieve their sustainable development goals," said Mr. Vincent Mauer.
In addition, thanks to filling and capping at room temperature, Aseptic technology also helps reduce energy consumption. The UHT sterilization process also uses technology that has little impact on the environment and can recover heat, helping to save up to 90% of energy, while the heat recovery process in hot filling technology only reaches 60%.
Furthermore, if the product is exposed to high temperatures for too long, its quality and sensory characteristics may decrease, while Aseptic technology helps the product retain its flavor as well as its sensory and nutritional values. Aseptic technology is suitable for drinks that are difficult to preserve. Aseptic products can be kept at room temperature for up to 18 months without refrigeration. This method eliminates the need for preservatives in the product, in line with the current consumer demand for natural and organic drinks.
Tan Hiep Phat has invested in 10 high-speed aseptic filling and production lines of GEA at factories stretching from North to South. Tan Hiep Phat's products are not only favored by domestic consumers but also exported to more than 20 international markets including demanding markets such as the US, Japan, Korea, etc., certified by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA, Halal standards for Muslim countries.
GEA Vietnam General Director revealed that Tan Hiep Phat is currently the largest customer using GEA aseptic lines in the Southeast Asia (SEAP) region. “GEA is very pleased to be a strategic partner of Tan Hiep Phat Group and contribute to the sustainable development and continued success of Tan Hiep Phat,” said Mr. Vincent Mauer.
At the workshop, Mr. Le Vinh Chuong - Head of Product Research and Development of Tan Hiep Phat said that the company aims for green production from choosing leading technologies in terms of environmental friendliness to operating production to minimize the consumption of natural resources such as energy and water consumption. "We believe that with the cooperation with GEA, Tan Hiep Phat will achieve that," said Mr. Chuong.
Huy Bui
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/cong-nghe-chiet-rot-vo-trung-chia-khoa-de-dn-nuoc-giai-khat-tien-toi-net-zero-2312694.html
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