Skip to main content

Aseptic Packaging

WHY THE BOX?

One major difference between Morinaga and other tofu in the market today is the award-winning aseptic packaging process. During this packaging process, the food inside is never exposed to light, air, or bacteria, all of which can lead to spoilage. Developed by Tetra Pak of Sweden in 1979, this proprietary packaging is unique. In fact, it was voted “…the number one food science innovation of the past fifty years” by the prestigious Institute of Food Technologies headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Aseptic packaging locks out the “bad” (light, air, bacteria) and locks in the “good” (nutrients, amino acids, isoflavones, flavor). This means Morinaga Silken Tofu offers you the freshest flavor with no sour taste and no bacterial contamination while at the same time assuring you of complete nutrient retention.

In 1996, the aseptic package received the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, the only package ever to receive this coveted environmental prize. At a White House ceremony, then-Vice President Al Gore recognized the aseptic package for its earth-smart profile and commended the aseptic packaging industry for demonstrating “extended responsibility through a products’ life cycle and an outstanding contribution to a sustainable future.”

WHAT LEADING ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY ABOUT ASEPTIC PACKAGING

“Your industry’s success in developing a recycling program for poly-coated paperboard packaging is noteworthy. We originally shared the skepticism of many of our colleagues when we learned about your plans to develop an industry to recycle poly-coated milk cartons and drink boxes (MCDBs). While we recognized the source reduced energy saving characteristics of the drink box, we expected that the costs of recycling would be too great and questioned its viability… We are pleased at the events that seem to be proving us wrong.” -William W. Howard Executive Vice President, National Wildlife Federation

“Recently, prompted by eye-catching television ads that tout drink box recycling, we decided to revisit the issue… What we learned surprised us. We found that the drink box may not be the environmental bad guy we once thought it was. In fact, this seems to be a case study of an industry responding constructively to consumers’ environmental concerns.” -Kate Roth Executive Director, Mother’s & Others for a Livable Plant

“I originally opposed the aseptic package. But further research has given me a different view of the package. In fact, there is much to be said for aseptics. They require much less heat and energy to fill than do cans or bottles, and they can be stored and shipped without refrigeration. Additionally, aseptic packages are much lighter, and are also a more efficient shape for shipping than glass containers. Finally, while recycling of aseptic packaging is not yet widespread, programs are growing rapidly…” -John Robbins Founder, EarthSave and Author of Diet for a New America and May All be Fed

“It came as a surprise to many in the environmental community and even to us… that the drink box would come out looking so good. For single-serving packages, the recycled aluminum can and the aseptic package have the lowest environmental costs, while the virgin aluminum can has the highest environmental cost.” -Frank Ackerman, Ph.D. Senior Economist, Tellus Institute of Resource and Environmental Strategies

For more information about aseptic packaging, please contact: Tetra Pak of Sweden http://www.tetrapak.com