Effect of Headspace Volume of Retort Pouches on Simulated Transport Hazards

Abstract

Institutional retort pouches containing either water or 5% starch solution were filled with varying amounts of headspace volume to determine if adding gaseous volume to the package can help it survive laboratory simulated engineering tests. Fixed displacement vibration testing and compression testing of the pouches yielded no differences in the amount of headspace volume. Significant differences were noted as a result of the shock testing (free fall drop method) when comparing the water filled pouches, but no headspace volume effect was observed for the 5% starch solution pouches. The results from this study showed increasing the headspace volume of a retort pouch does provide increased protection to transport hazards (shock) for a low viscosity food simulant as compared with a highly viscous product packaged similarly.