"We have been manufacturing low temperature products for a while," National Starch European marketing communications officer Judith Liddle told FoodProductionDaily.com. "But with this, we've pushed that the technology a little further, and Novacol 90 is the first product in the industry with an application temperature of 90°C - below boiling point."
Liddle says that the product is suitable for a variety of food packaging sectors such as confectionery and frozen food. And because it can be applied at a much lower temperature, it is much safer to use. But the food industry might take a bit of convincing.
"We took the product to a confectionery manufacturer, who were very sceptical at first," said Liddle. "The product represents such a leap in technology. But after rigorous testing, they confirmed that it works."
Another advantage of the low boiling point is the lack of odour. This removes the threat of smells contaminating food products. In addition, Liddle believes that Novocol 90 can contribute to greater plant efficiency.
According to the company, measurements carried out in a production process showed that Novocol 90 requires 33 per cent less energy from the hot melt unit, all along the production line. And at 90°C, the product has no opportunity to form char that would block or damage nozzles, filters, guns and hoses.
The twin benefits of safety and efficiency can be amplified if the new adhesive is applied using automated equipment, claims Liddle.
"Our 3-D unit is a system that transfers adhesive pellets into a hot melt applicator tank," she said. "Traditionally, this is done using a plastic scoop - you have to lift the lid of the hot melt to transfer the pellet, and this increases the danger to the operator. So this new system of automatic transferal seals the whole system up, making it safer."
As a result, an operator can press a button at the start of his shift and forget about it. The system is more controlable than the manual system, and is therefore, Liddle believes, safer and more efficient. Liddle says that companies that install this combined system might be able to downgrade the hazard rating of their hot melt area.
"Food companies are becoming more responsible," she said. "And as an equipment provider, we are not afraid to point out to our customers where they could improve safety in their operations."