OTR is short for “oxygen transmission rate”. This term describes the oxygen permeability of a packaging material. The value indicates how much oxygen passes through a specific area of a material in a specific period of time. The unit is typically cm³/m²/24h.
An OTR barrier (also known as oxygen permeation) is extremely important in various packaging applications, especially for food and beverages, to ensure the quality, safety and shelf life of various products. This makes it an important component of modern packaging solutions. Here are a few important reasons why it is so important:
Shelf life: Oxygen can cause oxidation, which can lead to spoilage and loss of nutritional value in your food products. A good OTR barrier helps maintain the freshness and quality of your product by limiting oxygen access.
Cost efficiency: By extending shelf life and maintaining product quality, OTR barriers can reduce waste and improve cost efficiency for manufacturers and retailers.
All our packaging materials have a good OTR barrier. Our Transparent Toni and Metallised Martha materials have a particularly high OTR barrier.