New Research Published Exploring Aluminum Can Liner Types and Measuring Techniques
We are excited to share the news that Hannah Krieg's research into aluminum can liner types and measuring techniques has been published in the Master Brewer’s Association of America’s Technical Quarterly Publication. Hannah is a Lab Manager and TTB-Certified Chemist with BevSource's full-service quality assurance lab and pilot brewing facility, The Lab.
An Overview of Can Liner Types and Measuring Techniques
By Hannah Krieg of The Lab – Powered by BevSource and Harshil Gadhia of Sensory Analytics
Abstract
For beverage producers of all sizes, focusing on can quality is a critical aspect of product quality. Can quality has a considerable impact on the product's stability and ensures its safety and integrity throughout the supply chain—from the time it's produced, warehoused, filled, and shipped to the time it is finally in the hands of consumers. As the demand for cans continues to rise and supply remains scarce, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure quality standards are being met by suppliers, including international vendors. New regulations regarding can coating chemistry and a wave of novel products also are creating hurdles to guaranteeing liner quality and corrosion prevention. Historically, cans have been lined with BPA (bisphenol A)-based epoxy coatings, but due to recent health regulations regarding the safety of BPA, manufacturers are trying to move away from these types of container coatings. The ability to precisely measure container coatings is a key factor in achieving overall can quality and performance, as proper application and monitoring of coating thickness have a direct impact on can quality. Advanced measurement technologies for monitoring can liner thickness are available to ensure all coatings meet required specifications and have uniform distribution and consistency around the can. In this article, we review and summarize the history of cans and liner materials, can and liner options in the market, and new testing and measurement techniques used to help ensure can quality.
BevSource and our quality testing facility, The Lab, are committed to ensuring all in the beverage industry can have access to the highest level of film weight quality and can liner testing. That’s why we're the first, third-party beverage quality testing facility to install Sensory Analytics’ latest SpecMetrix® ACS coating thickness and film weight measurement system in our laboratory.
