Long considered an emerging technology that still needed development, nanobased materials in coated food barrier films are poised for a potential breakout year in 2009. Two competing nanotechnology development companies hillsborough, njbased inmat and wayne, pabased nanopack both plan fullscale releases of new, vermiculite claybased coatings this year that could be transformative in food barrier applications. Inmat is launching a new waterbased material used with existing rollcoating equipment, while nanopack has signed an agreement with thingauge film distributor interfilm holdings to launch its products nationwide. In both cases, the microscopic materials, as small as half a micron in thickness, offer a lowcost and efficient barrier option for snack bags, dry fruit and nuts, ground coffee, and other food items where moisture and oxygen penetration can significantly dampen shelf life. A small amount of the material expensive as it is, about 90 percent less material is needed than for traditional coatings &ndash can block moisture and oxygen molecules by making them follow a more tortuous path away from the package interior. The nanomaterials are targeting replacement of pvdc and evoh as coatings for film and bags, offering better barrier protection than pvdc and lower costs than evoh. Inmat is commercializing a new waterbased coating formulation called nanolok that offers a highly transparent film with an effective oxygen and moisture coating. The company is looking for partnership or licensing agreements to further its technology and commercialization. The film&rsquos transparency is of special value for microwaveable packaging or for the replacement of metallized films, while offering more recyclable options. While offering an effective gas barrier for both pe and pp film, the nanocoating also has a side benefit that was recently discovered the retention of aromas in spice packages and other food items.the highend barrier films market is huge, about 25bn in global sales last year, and barrier coatingsrepresent about 3bn of that market. While nanodispersed clays work best in clear applications, theycould significantly lower costs and avoid recycling issues that concern the snackbag industry.
