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A well-seasoned traveler

Aseptically packaged chilies allow an Australian grower and harvester to extend distribution beyond its rural location and compete in a hot global market.

For illustrative purposes, an aseptic bag is sliced open to reveal the gland and the bottom membrane. During filling, product fl
For illustrative purposes, an aseptic bag is sliced open to reveal the gland and the bottom membrane. During filling, product fl

How does a young and relatively small company in rural Australia become a major global supplier of chili products for sauce manufacturers and foodservice operators? By successfully marrying a high-quality, in-demand product with an innovative packaging system.

Since January 1997, Austchilli (Australians spell chilies as "chillis"), located in the eastern coastal town of Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, has been growing, harvesting, processing and packaging its Cayenne chilies at about 3ꯠ tonnes (3괓 tons) of chilies per year. From the beginning, the company knew it needed an edge on the competition in order to export the pureed chilies beyond the Australian continent.

That edge came in the form of an unusual aseptic packaging process, which made Austchilli the first company in the Asia Pacific to process and pack chilies aseptically. The firm sees a number of advantages in packing aseptically in a flexible package:

* permits a nine-month shelf life,

* allows Austchilli to export the seasonal veggies year-round,

* retains full flavor of the chilies without the need for preservatives or long exposure to heat in a retort, and

* generates less packaging waste compared to rigid containers.

A suitable system

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