There are
four factors which must be present to allow any water product to have a 5 year shelf life.
1.The water must be sterile. This is accomplished through Ultra High Temperature
pasteurization (UHT).
2.The interior of the water container must be sterile. The entire interior
surface of the Aqua Blox® packaging is sterilized during the filling process.
3. The container must be airtight. The Aqua Blox® package is airtight.
This is accomplished by using multi-layer laminates in the packaging which create a
barrier impermeable to outside elements and contaminates. Since plastic
breathes, bottled water cannot be made to last more than a few months.
4.The container must be resistant to light. The laminated layers in the
AquaBlox® aseptic container are designed to prevent light from entering. Light is a
catalyst for microbial growth and therefore must be eliminated to give water an extensive
shelf life.
Aqua Blox® is the first and only aseptically packaged water in North America.
Europeans have been using aseptically packaged water since 1973. The drink box
(aseptic package) was invented in Europe to prolong the shelf life of many beverages,
including water.
It is important not to confuse other aseptically packaged beverages with Aqua Blox®
aseptically packaged water. Juices and other beverages do not last 5 years because
they have other components (substrates) in them which naturally break down over
time. Purified water has no substrates; its only component is the water molecule.
Finally, the packaging material used for water differs considerably from the
material used for other beverages. With Aqua Blox®, there is a special poly
laminate layer along the interior surface of the box. This layer is referred to as
the "water paper liner", which prevents water molecules from touching the
aluminum foil layer and rendering an unsavory metallic taste. The manufacturers of
Aqua Blox® believe it is important that the water taste pleasant, in addition to having
an extensive shelf life.
Aqua Blox®
are U.S. Coast Guard Approved. This means they have been approved by the United
States government for military use. To gain Coast Guard Approval, multiple samples
of product must undergo a rigorous battery of tests, which can take up to eighteen months
to complete. A Coast Guard approved laboratory performs the tests and determines
that the water will last five years. Additionally, every time Aqua Blox® is
manufactured, samples are sent to a government approved lab. The product must pass
all tests before it can be released.
The "pouch-type" water package has only 3 layers of a material called Mylar,
a form of metal. The water in the pouch touches the Mylar layer. Water
next to metal is highly reactive and therefore trace components from the Mylar can leach
into the water giving the pouch water an unusual taste. There is no Mylar in Aqua
Blox®. Additionally, Aqua Blox® has a total of 7 layers, one of which protects the
water's taste. Research has found that children are especially opposed to drinking
water with an unusual taste.
In an emergency situation, dehydration is a serious risk and it is therefore critical
that the water be pleasant enough for everyone to consume.
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