Bapco Closures develop and manufacture a unique three part closure solution which incorporates a full foil easy open membrane. These closures, which are currently employed for blown and injection moulded containers, can be as easily applied to thermoformed containers of any shape and in particular the non-round solutions are liked for the potential to innovate further for ‘ready meal’ applications.

Bapco Closures approached Leatherhead Food Research, Surrey, UK, which is an independent organisation delivering innovative research, scientific consultancy and regulatory guidance and interpretation in order to assess the suitability of the foiled closures for microwaving food in round and non-round containers.

Bapco passed with ease all the key criteria including ensuring that the correct time and temperature combination was achieved to meet the required cooking instructions. The targets set for cooking using the Bapco Closures on a Thermoformed container related directly to the reheat schedule of the Department of Health cook chill guidelines and that the product must be of an acceptable sensory quality.

Some key observations made which will depend on the final closure design but were still of worthy note are:-

• The pot remained safe to handle even when hot
• The pot did not become too flexible
• The rim remained rigid