Preservatives are chemicals added to consumer goods in order to protect the products against microbial spoilage and the consumer against potential infection.  While many people are familiar with preservatives in so far as they relate to food products, they are also quite commonly utilized in non-food consumer goods, such as cosmetics, lotions, and shampoos.

Preservatives can be quite effective at protecting and preserving consumer goods over long periods of extended shelf life.  These additives are what allow us to have the same bottle of shampoo in our shower for over a year without fear of spoilage or microbial growth. 

There is a growing consumer interest, in all-natural options for consumer goods.  One alternative is for manufacturers to opt for natural preservatives, which are derived from things such as fruits or seeds.  Another alternative is to move towards aseptic packaging.   This may involved unit dose packaging or innovative dispensing methods that eliminate the requirement for preservatives.  

In line EB disinfection of packaging material can offer a novel approach with which manufacturers of consumer products can move towards an aseptic processing method.  AEB's technology has been implemented for treatment of a wide range of packaging formats including film, pouch, bottle, and cups.  This approach can offer manufacturers a lower cost and more efficient option for safe, all-natural consumer good products.