Page 38 - Packaging News magazine November-December 2022

FOOD PACKAGING
Brand new: label-free
coding on fruit & veg
Result Group’s new EcoMark Natural Branding, a laser system for non-contact coding on the skin of fruit and veg, is set to change the way single fresh produce items are labelled. PKN reports.
NATURAL BRANDING IS a “completely innovative approach” designed to improve traceability and assist
in the reduction of label use for envi- ronmental and economic reasons, according to Result Group. In the pro- cess, no inks or chemical additives, packaging materials, colours, or stick- ers are used.
“In over 35 years of coding and mark- ing and spending a good part of those years exploring the world for inno- vation, I have seen nothing like this system, nor the potential for expan- sion in other markets outside of fresh produce. Put simply, this system can and will re-invent coding and marking in the years to come,” Michael Dossor, Result Group GM tells PKN.
“Laser technology is the most envi- ronmentally friendly, safe, and efficient method of labelling organic fruits and veg- etables for the retail sector,” Dossor says.
“There is no use of plastic or paper labels or the silicon backing paper that comes with them, and only a small amount of energy is required, plus there are zero consumables. EcoMark lasering is ideal for short-term special editions or standard seasonal product labelling,” he adds.
PACKAGING WITHOUT PACKAGING
Since the new EcoMark Natural Branding system has no labeller, there is zero label cost and no lock-in con- tracts for consumables. The system uses a laser to remove colour from the fruit or vegetable’s outer layer of skin and, akin to the tattoo process, creates an image on a variety of goods, which EcoMark says is “packaging without packaging”.
The new laser technology can be used on any food with a robust skin.
Using a laser for the marking, the system ensures branding, SKU level identification, traceability and authen- ticity is etched in. According to the company, the barely detectable heat used on fruits and vegetables does not produce long-term damage.
The advantage of the system is that it simply depigments the upper- most cell layer of the fruit’s skin and removes the outermost layer of skin, preserving the fruit’s integrity, Result Group says. However, due to its adapt- ability and ease of production line integration, it is becoming “increas- ingly popular” for conventional goods to benefit from this natural brand- ing system without compromising traceability.
According to Result Group, the method can also be used for marketing promotions and branding of the product itself, as it has no effect on food quality or shelf life, pro- viding the least expensive way to mark the prod- uct in small or large
quantities.
With the EcoMark
software, new logos and text can be eas- ily and quickly created, imported and printed, each user can instantly adjust and react to
“Put simply, this system can and will re-invent coding and marking in the years to come.”
Above: Non-contact laser coding direct to produce skin.
Left: The EcoMark Natural Branding system is available through Result Group.
the ripeness of the fruit, or create new products with new logos.
EcoMark confirms that various requirements can be met with this machine, regardless of the complexity of the coding to be marked on the prod- uct –such as 2D codes Datamatrix and QR, logos, certification marks, shapes, numbers, and text.
The ultimate is a GS1 Datamatrix or QR code represented by the GS1 digital link standard, says the company. These contain everything from the source of the product to the use by date and ori- gin information; and is still acceptable for point-of-sale scanning and con- sumer engagement via any smartphone camera or app, it says.
As a GS1 Australia Strategic Alliance Partner, Result Group says it sees enor- mous potential in leveraging innovative technology by collaborating on future projects with GS1 and the entire indus- try. Result Group is already working with a number of industry bodies prov- ing the tech for growers. ■
MICHAEL DOSSOR, RESULT GROUP
38 ❙ NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2022
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