At this year's Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai, packaging solutions provider SIG debuted the world's first long-life probiotic buttermilk.
Packaged in aseptic cartons, this solution is the first of its kind, and was produced with the help of Indian dairy specialist MilkyMist and AnaBio Technologies.
By creating this product, SIG, MilkyMist and AnaBio Technologies have enabled the incorporation of probiotics into shelf-stable drinks for the first time.
This advancement could be significant as an increasing proportion of consumers set out to boost their gut health with convenient functional food & beverages and supplements.
Overcoming the UHT challenge
Previously, it has been difficult to incorporate probiotics into long-life beverages because of the ultra-high temperature processing the product must undergo.
To overcome this, AnaBio Technologies provided its patented probiotic encapsulation technology, while SIG utilised its 'gentle' aseptic filling process, which allowed them to create a functional beverage containing effective probiotics.
Chief Markets Officer at SIG, Christoph Wegener, commented: “This product has health benefits and overcomes the limitations of fresh probiotic drinks. With a longer shelf life and no need for refrigeration, we significantly increase the reach and can bring the goodness of probiotics to the people. The way is paved for many more amazing long-life probiotic products in our aseptic packaging solutions.”
SIG sells 13 filling lines at Gulfood Manufacturing
Following a deal made at Gulfood Manufacturing 2024, SIG has confirmed that it has secured the sales of 13 filling lines for food and beverage manufacturing.
The solid filling lines are able to produce the company’s entire portfolio of aseptic carton, bag-in-box and spouted pouch packaging solutions.
President & General Manager for India, Middle East & Africa at SIG, Abdelghany Eladib, said: “Gulfood Manufacturing 2024 has been an exceptional platform for us to demonstrate our dedication to innovation and sustainability. Securing the sale of 13 filling lines is a testament to the trust our customers place in our solutions. We remain committed to driving the industry forward with pioneering technologies.”