New Barrier Paper Protects Food from Freezing Cold to Tropical Heat

With thinbarrier 303, delfort is launching a recyclable barrier paper that reliably protects food during transport and storage under extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations. The combined oxygen, water vapor, and grease barrier maintains its properties consistently within a temperature range of -18 to +38 degrees Celsius. “thinbarrier 303 is one of the best papers on the market when it comes to barrier performance and weight,” says Peter Hackl, Head of the Packaging Division at delfort.

Food products are exposed to a wide variety of environmental conditions throughout their journey—from picking and packing at the manufacturer, delivery in refrigerated trucks, and shelving in supermarkets, to transport by the consumer. Temperature and humidity often vary significantly at each of these stages. Especially after purchase, packaged food can face stressful conditions—such as in hot summer weather—when no controlled environment is available. To address these changing factors, delfort developed thinbarrier 303. “The paper stands out for its excellent combination of oxygen, water vapor, and grease barriers, and it is, of course, recyclable,” Hackl explains.

The oxygen barrier allows significantly less than ten grams per square meter per day under normal conditions. This effectively prevents oxidation over long periods—helping, for instance, to keep fats and oils from becoming rancid. It also preserves the food’s fresh aroma and flavor. The water vapor barrier also allows less than ten grams per square meter per day—in both directions. This helps prevent refrigerated goods like cheese from drying out and stops moisture from causing powdered products like cocoa or cappuccino to clump or biscuits to lose their crispness. “thinbarrier 303’s strong resistance to water vapor remains intact even in refrigeration at four degrees and is stable down to -18 degrees Celsius in freezing conditions,” Hackl adds.

The grease barrier proves its strength especially under heat. It prevents fats and oils within the food from seeping through the packaging. This preserves product quality and hygiene and keeps the product visually appealing—crucial for items like cheese and chocolate. “The grease barrier remains stable even at temperatures up to 38 degrees Celsius,” says Hackl. “And it contains none of the per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) that were commonly used in the past.”

In addition, thinbarrier 303 is easy and reliable to work with. Its sealing strength of 8 N/15 mm ensures that the food is securely enclosed. The high seal seam strength also prevents the packaging from tearing during filling, transport, or consumer handling. The heat-sealed seam remains stable even under demanding climate conditions. Furthermore, the paper is suitable for a variety of vertical and horizontal packaging machines.

Despite its strong barrier properties and high durability, thinbarrier 303 is lighter than comparable barrier papers. At the same time, it is fully recyclable: thinbarrier 303 meets the standards of the standardized testing methodology by the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). “The combination of its features makes our new thinbarrier 303 the ideal barrier paper for demanding food products—from ice cream and confectionery to baked goods and even pharmaceutical teas,” says Peter Hackl.

About delfort

delfortgroup AG, headquartered in Traun, Upper Austria, is a global innovation leader in the development, production, and distribution of specialty and functional papers for the tobacco, pharmaceutical, food, and labeling industries. Together with selected partners, delfort possesses strong process expertise throughout the supply chain. The company employs more than 3,200 people worldwide, spanning Europe, the USA, and China.