Advanced food packaging retains the desired quality of food throughout its shelf life to prevent waste. This satisfies the manufacturer and the consumer, as the core function of packaging is protecting the food from harmful outside impacts.
Another key role that packaging plays in maintaining the environment. Food waste leads to a waste of the resources used to manufacture it, including food manufacturers and natural resources. Food and packaging quality work parallel to balance cost and resources.
Let’s delve deeper into the essential role of packaging material in the food industry and how it will keep your food fresh and protected.
Barrier Properties Food Packaging Have
Think of it as your favorite food displayed on a shelf but surrounded by a quiet conflict. Poor-quality packing materials are a severe concern about food safety. On the other hand, good-quality packaging serves as the food’s gatekeeper. It is also effective in shielding food from an endless stream of outside dangers that greatly threaten its safety and quality.
Now let’s examine the particular damages that can happen with poor quality packaging:
- There is a chance of damage during handling, storage, and transit. Packaging materials that operate as shields absorbing impact and avoiding punctures or crushing that stop harming the food within. Metal cans, rigid plastic containers, and sturdy cardboard boxes are the few types that can be used to prevent damage.
- Moisture greatly influences food quality. Excessive moisture within the box can cause product breakdown or mold growth, resulting in spoiling. On the other hand, dryness and texture loss may result from inadequate humidity. Therefore, packaging material regulates moisture exchange and helps you achieve the desired results.
- Plus, certain foods may react negatively to light exposure because light breaks down certain vitamins and causes certain fats to go rancid. Paperboard and metal cans are examples of opaque materials that serve as shields. They keep damaged light away and safeguard delicate food products.
- Microbial development, including mold, bacteria, and fungi, seriously threatens food safety. Preventing microbiological contamination mainly depends on using appropriate sealing procedures and packaging materials. These substances produce a physical barrier that prevents bacteria from entering, essential to maintaining food freshness.
Explore The Diverse World Of Packaging Material
The range of packaging materials has unique properties to cater to the specific needs of different food products. Here are the most common options for food packaging:
Plastics
It is a leading force in food packaging because of its multiple properties. It combines many barrier qualities, lightweight design, and adaptability to create a successful combination. You can store a variety of food types. For example, polyethylene (PE) films for bread bags and robust polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for beverages.
However, worries about their possible chemical leaking and effects on the environment shifted the consumer toward environmentally friendly substitutes. Compostable and biodegradable plastics are made from plant materials. It is a sustainable solution for the future.
Glass
Glass is an extremely transparent and highly inert material, which makes it a great material for product displays. It is usually used to pack spaghetti sauce jars or traditional glass olive oil bottles.
Glass has excellent barrier qualities that shield food from gases, light, and moisture. However, few users do not have their products in gas bottles because of the fragility and weight that make them challenging to handle and transport. On the other hand, the material also raises sustainability. Energy consumption is highly involved in this material production.
Metal
When it comes to long-term food storage, metal cans are the best. The following properties provide excellent barrier qualities, protecting food from light, moisture, oxygen, and physical harm make it best. They are made of steel or aluminum to give users more robust protection; canned goods have a longer shelf life.
However, the rigidity and weight of metal cans can prevent them from being used for some items, and particular cans’ internal linings contain bisphenol A (BPA), which raises health concerns.
Things Need to Remember for the Perfect Match
The upper match will give you confidence that your package will perfectly match the protection requirement for your food. Although it is really hard to find the perfect match for your food type, factors that will help you in this regard are food type, shelf-life requirements, sustainability concerns, and cost.
Understanding The Food Type
The first factor in material selection is food type, which must be preserved to maximum freshness and avoid spoiling. Fresh produce products such as fruits and vegetables need to be packaged to permit controlled gas exchange. Perforated plastic bags or breathable films can be used in this regard. Conversely, longer-lasting processed foods work better in metal cans or moisture-resistant plastics.
Objectives for Shelf Life
The most important things are to maximize shelf life and preserve food quality. Certain plastics and metal cans have good barrier qualities to increase shelf life. Paperboard or breathable materials are adequate for products with a shorter shelf life.
Emphasis on Sustainability
With the population increasing, consumers’ concerns about how packaging affects the environment are growing. Compostable and biodegradable materials made from plant sources are gaining popularity as substitutes for conventional polymers. Furthermore, they reduce environmental impact because they are readily recyclable. Visit cometoway.
Costs Factor
In any food business, cost is an important consideration. Although metal cans or high-barrier polymers may provide better protection, they are only affordable in some cases. Paper and paperboard are more economical choices for goods with shorter shelf life.
In addition, achieving optimal balance among cost, sustainability, and functionality is crucial for the ultimate success.
Final Thought
The material behind food packaging is usually overlooked, but it plays a major role. Knowing the barrier properties of food packaging means exploring the diverse world of packaging materials, which helps you make different choices to select the right fit for each product.
Furthermore, it is helpful to ensure food safety, extend shelf life, and promote sustainability to level up your food chain game. As environmental concerns are increasing, the future of packaging should be ingenious and environmentally conscious.
Before jumping to a conclusion, you need to consider the food type, product shelf life, emphasis on sustainability, and cost factor.
