Stick-pack sparks tea-volution

摘要

Likened to a disposable tea infuser by its U.S. distributor The Sugart Group, of Manchester, NH, the Sugart iTea Wand micro-perforated stick-pack for loose tea won material supplier Alcan Packaging a Gold Award in Packaging Excellence. A variation on the stick-packs made popular recently for powdered drink mixes, the 5-in.-long, proprietary polypropylene/foil lamination uses a pattern of embossed holes to create a "built-in mechanical filter system," explains Alcan product manager John Strubulis. He adds that the system allows the tea leaves' flavor-carrying fats and oils to be dispersed into hot water, creating a more intense flavor than achieved with oil-absorbing teabags.rn"The embossed holes allow hot water [212℉ recommended] to enter the stick and the tea concentrate to exit, keeping most of the tea leaves in the stick," Strubulis says.