Combining the best elements of the folding carton and the reclosable pouch, package developer and contract packager T.H.E.M. has created a new container that could mean the elimination of the inner liner on food cartons.

          The company, based in , has merged a carton with a press-to-close zipper on top that allows for ease of opening (without having to rip apart an inner liner) and seals in the contents. The company designed an airtight seal on the bottom of the package, lessening the need for a liner to maintain freshness, and constructed side flaps for the zippered pouch that tamp it down during shipment and shelf storage. When the flaps are opened, the tear-top zipper appears.

          The unique package meets the emerging need for better cube utilization, allowing more product to be shipped and placed on a store shelf, said T.H.E.M. president Neil Kozarsky. While stand-up pouches have met some needs for lightweight containers in shipping, the rectangular-shaped cartons offer more space efficiency.

          The elimination of the inner liner also means the package can hold a minimum of about 10 percent more content and, in some cases, as much as 40 percent more, Kozarsky said. That would allow carton sizes to be reduced for source reduction.

            While some could question whether taste and odor could be an issue without the liner, Kozarsky pointed out that many dry foods, such as sugar, pancake batter, and flour, use a coated carton instead of a liner. While bag-in-box formats also meet that need, the ZipBox uses a rigid paperboard carton to hold the food items instead of an inner bag.

          The company expects pilot production to begin on the ZipBox in Q110 and is actively discussing the technology with potential product partners.  A goal would be to release the ZipBox for commercial applications next year, Kozarsky added.