US plastics additives supplier Milliken (Spartanburg, South Carolina; www.millikenchemical.com) said it has developed a clear, anti-fogging polypropylene lid for microwaveable food products with Taiwan’s South Plastics Industry (SPI, New Taipei City; www.southplastic.com) a manufacturer of thermoformed plastic food packaging.

The item is seen as a replacement for oriented polystyrene (OPS) in the application as that material can only withstand temperatures up to 85°C and is unsuitable for microwaveable product applications, said SPI president Tosho Wang.

Using Milliken’s Millad NX 8000 family of clarifiers, the companies produced an UltraClear recyclable PP resin said to resist yellowing, reduce the oxidation reaction, extend the shelf life of the packaged product, and meet necessary performance requirements. The additive also allows SPI to thermoform products at a lower temperature, which is said to cut energy use while producing a thinner PP lid that reduces material requirements without affecting product rigidity.

With expertise in OPS, HIPS, PP, PET and UCPP, SPI has been offering thermoformed food packaging services in the US, Asia and Europe since 1983. The company says it uses biotransformation technology to make biodegradable packaging that has the same features as standard packaging for a defined period of time.