Quality Control for Spout Pouches

To discuss how spout pouches are controlled in form and quality, it helps to look at a product such as soymilk. Soymilk is packed in single-layer plastic bags, spout pouches, stand-up spout pouches, composite plastic packs, plastic bottles such as PET, gable-top cartons, Tetra Pak cartons and cans, among other formats. These packages are not only novel in appearance and strong in visual appeal, easy to carry and to drink from, meeting people's wish to drink freely; they also extend shelf life and effectively guarantee product quality, which has helped the soymilk market prosper and grow. The list of options is a long one, and it says a good deal about how competitive the category has become.

Beyond form, the key to quality control lies in the sterilisation process. Aseptic and vacuum packing are the two common methods for soymilk. Today the world's advanced manufacturers all adopt the instantaneous ultra-high-temperature sterilisation method used in aseptic packaging technology, which kills bacteria and effectively prevents light from affecting the nutrition and original flavour of soymilk, so that it keeps a good taste and nutritional value. Light is one of the factors that affects soymilk most, which is why the method deserves as much attention as the packaging format itself.

Putting form and process together, the division of labour is clear: the packaging format decides in what shape the product reaches the consumer, while the sterilisation method decides how long it can be kept within its shelf life. The two are not interchangeable: each answers a different question.

So when a format such as the spout pouch is chosen, it is also necessary to confirm that the filling and sterilisation stages can match it. Novelty of form and convenience in drinking are only the starting point; only when the process stages connect properly can product quality remain stable throughout the shelf life. That is a step that cannot be left out when controlling spout pouches.