KS 2406: Packaging — Flexible tubes—Test method for the air tightness of closures (Draft Standard)

2012·0.71 MB·English

by  Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)

Republic of Kenya
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KS 2406 (2012) (English): Packaging — Flexible
tubes—Test method for the air tightness of
closures (Draft Standard)

KENYA STANDARD KS 2406:2012
ICS …..

Packaging — Flexible tubes—Test
method for the air tightness of
closures

Updated on 4th May 2012

© KEBS 2012 1st Edition 2012
KS 2406:2012

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION

The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:

University of Nairobi – Chemistry Dept
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute
National Environment Management Authority
East African Packaging Industries ltd
Kenya flower council
Export Promotion Council
Consumer Information Network
Government Chemist-Department
Sumaria Industries Ltd.
GS1 Kenya
Nakumatt Holdings Ltd
Uchumi Supermarkets Ltd.
Ritz Africa Consultants Ltd
Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
Ministry Of Industrialization
KEPSA/ICT Federation
Tetrapak
Nestle Ear
Coca Cola East & Central Africa Ltd
Barcode Global Standards 1 (EA) Ltd
Institute of Packaging of Kenya
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat

REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS

In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions for
improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are welcome.

©Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2012

Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001 of the Laws of Kenya,
copyright subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard
produced by Kenya Bureau of Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by
any means without prior permission in writing from the Managing Director.

KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)

Head Office: P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi-00200, Tel.: [phone], 602350, Fax: (+254 020) 604031
E-Mail: [email protected], Web:http://www.kebs.org

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Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone]
ii © KEBS 2012 — All rights reserved
KS 2406:2012

Foreword

Air tightness of closures for flexible tubes is very important in the maintaining the quality and integrity
of the product. The tubes have to be airtight to prevent gases from entering. The presence of oxygen
increases the microbial activity for aerobic microbes hence the deterioration of quality of the products.
Some ingredients of the products also react with gases in the air resulting in the undesired
characteristics and therefore leading to spoilage and shortening of the life span. This standard shall
be useful to manufacturers of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, hygiene, food and other domestic and
industrial products in checking quality of the flexible tubes.

This standard shall be useful to manufacturers of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, hygiene, food and other
domestic and industrial products in checking quality of the flexible tubes.

During the preparation of this Standard reference was made on;

BS EN 12377:1999 Packaging—Flexible tubes—Test method for air tightness of closures.

Acknowledgment is hereby made for the assistance derived from this source.
© KEBS 2012 — All rights reserved iii

KS 2406:2012

Kenya Standard
Packaging — Flexible tubes—Test method for the air tightness
of closures

1. Scope

This Kenya standard specifies a test method for air tightness of the closures for flexible tubes. It
is applicable to flexible single-layer metal or plastics tubes, and multilayer or laminated tubes,
used for packing pharmaceutical, cosmetic, hygiene, food and other domestic and industrial
products.

2. Principle

The detection of air bubbles escaping from the cap, when the tube is held under water and
subjected to an internal air pressure of 0.25 bar indicates that the cap is defective.

3 Apparatus

3.1 Air compressor, with an initial minimum pressure of 2 bar, equipped with an air regulator
allowing a constant and stable pressure of (0.25 ± 0.01) bar.

3.2 Manometer, accurate to 0,01 bar.

© KEBS 2012 — All rights reserved 1
KS 2406:2012

33 Conical connector, adapted to the diameter of the tube, which allows the attachment of the
open end of the tube to the compressed air source without leaks.

3.4 Transparent glass container, of a size such as to allow the head of the tube to be immersed in
water.

4 Procedure

The test shall be carried out on the capped tube at an ambient temperature of between 10 0C and
25 0C.Attach the open end of the tube to the compressed air source with the conical connector
(see Figure 1). Set the air regulator so as to maintain an air pressure of (0.25 ± 0.01) bar inside
the tube. Immerse the head of the tube in the water, ensuring that the cap is totally immersed for
at least 3 seconds. The tube is considered defective if a continuous stream of bubbles is seen
throughout the test period.

5 Test report

The test report shall contain the following information:
a) the reference to this standard and description of the sampling procedure.
b) the complete identification of the batch and of the tubes tested;
c) the number of tubes tested;
d) the number of defects;
e) acceptance or refusal of the batch in accordance with specifications
f) all factors which could have affected the results, or all operating details not specified in this
standard;
g) date of test;
h) name of the tester

2 © KEBS 2012 — All rights reserved