Date: 21-02-2023
Food Packaging Materials: Exploring What is Used to Keep Food Safe
Indeed, food packaging is a critical part of the product's journey from the factory to your refrigerator. So, what kind of materials are used for food packaging? A few factors come into play, such as cost, environmental concerns, end-use purposes, and the type of food itself. By carefully considering the various elements, manufacturers can ensure the food makes it safely to your plate. Food Packaging materials can be divided into two categories: Traditional and Industrial.
Types of Food Packaging Materials
The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Choice: Traditional Materials
Nature-Friendly Packaging Solutions:
Leaves, vegetable fibers, and textiles have been the go-to materials for packaging food items for ages. From banana leaves to bamboo mats, nature provides us with plentiful options perfect for wrapping fruits, vegetables, and rice cakes. Not only are these natural methods biodegradable, but they are also a great way to show off how creative our ancestors were! When it comes to covering a large number of goods, vegetable fibers such as jute come to the rescue. The most popular use of jute is gunny bags, which are commonly used by farmers to easily transport goods such as grains from the fields to the marketplaces.
Paper
It's no secret that paper has become the superior choice as a food packaging material. Surprisingly inexpensive and biodegradable, this eco-friendly material has seen a massive uptick in use over the last few decades. From the paper bags lining store shelves to the carton boxes grabbing our attention, paper containers have become the go-to choice for keeping food safe and sound in wet markets, on grocery store shelves, and in our own homes. Poultry, fish and vegetables alike are now being packaged in paper, ditching the plastic and doing our environment a favor while they're at it.
The Accessible Option: Industrial Materials
With industrial materials becoming ever more accessible for everyday use, more and more of us are taking advantage of their benefits when packaging our products. From food items to retail products, industrial materials are proving to be a popular choice to keep your products perfectly sealed and safe during transport. So what type of food packaging materials can you use? Let's take a look at some of the most popular options!
Metals
Food packaging requires highly specialized materials that enable safe and efficient storage. Tin-plated steel cans have been a go-to container for many years, but there are a variety of metals and plastics that can also securely keep your edibles in good condition. Metals such as tin, aluminum, and copper are impressive heat conductors and provide full protection against oxidation. Meanwhile, plastics like cellulose acetate offer an equally reliable solution for food storage.
Paper and Cardboard
It's no secret why paper packaging is so widely used throughout the world - it's affordable, lightweight, powerful, moisture-proof, and safe to use with food products. However, a few key types of paper are used: board stock, which comes from wood pulp, or bag boards made of cotton. You can purchase paper in sheet or corrugated form, which is often preferred to package food items.
Flexible Plastic Films
The versatility of plastic films has done wonders for food packaging, and it's easy to see why. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP) are just a few of the materials used to craft these increasingly popular flexible films. Not only do these plastic films provide a light yet secure form of packaging, but they also help protect against air contamination and keep moisture at bay.
This combination of convenience and durability makes them ideal for food storage. In the past few decades, there's been a massive surge in the use of plastic films for food packaging. Studies estimate the market has grown by nearly 20%!
Cellulose
Cellulose is a high molecular weight polymer found in plants like cotton and timber. It's quite the invisible hero, found in everyday objects like cellophane, sellotape, and viscose fabrics.
Cellophane may have been around since the beginning of time, but it remains one of the best-known cellulosic films on the market. This film is produced from regenerated cellulose, created from processing cotton or paper pulp with alkali and sulphuric acid under pressure. Not the best barrier when it comes to moisture vapor, cellophane does provide reliable protection against light and ultraviolet rays.
Thus, it has become one of the most popular choices for packaging fresh fruits and veggies. That being said, Cellotape - a transparent film made of regenerated cellulose - is also used a ton for wrapping pieces of bread and pastries.
Plastic Materials
Whether you're getting your daily dose of refreshment from a cafeteria or room-temperature-storing it for later in a packing plant, when it comes to food, plastic is our savior! Used for packing dairy and beverages alike, plastic is an inert material great for maintaining freshness and providing an effective shield against moisture, light, and gases. Yes, this wonder material certainly comes with its own set of challenges, but it's a small price to pay for a gift that keeps on giving- delicious and fresh food!
Aluminium
Aluminum cans are the most commonly used containers for packing foods due to their distinct profile - the outside and inside surfaces taper sharply, enabling them to stand upright and take up little space. The protection offered by aluminum cans extends beyond contamination, as they can keep foods fresh for a long period. Despite its benefits, aluminum does not have the best heat conductivity or mechanical strength. Nevertheless, its popularity as a food packaging material remains unparalleled.
In Conclusion,
Smart Packaging Systems has worked hard to become the number one packaging company in the country, providing customers with quality food packaging materials and equipment for over two decades. We understand that meeting the needs of our customers is our utmost priority, so continually strive to provide packaging solutions that are reliable, effective, and affordable. From blister packs to stand-up pouches, we have the materials needed to properly protect and promote your products.
What’s more, our team is full of experienced professionals with the expertise and dedication to ensure your food packaging needs are being met safely and efficiently. So, give us a call!
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