Material selection for food is an important part of food production safety. Biodegradable polymers have begun to gain popularity in the food packaging industry.
This is a result of the constant search and recommendations by some professionals as they look for sustainable packaging resolution. Some Packaging machine manufacturers might even agree.
There are still many already existing materials that are used to package food ranging from aluminum to steel, to glass and paper.
Food enclosure is important for protection from contamination, better storage, and decay of food during transport and delivery. There are environmental factors.
Food enclosure is needed for the security of the product. This is to avoid tampering and any intentional product modification or mid-way exchange.
There is also a need for maintaining the food shelf which is used to provide the needed information to customers and provide customer convenience as well as build trust in the brand.
The packaging is always dependent on the food that needs to be packaged. Keep in mind that food can come in different shapes, sizes, and forms.
What Are the Types of Food Packaging?
Rigid packages may include cans, trays, bottles, caps, and jars.
Foods are also packaged in flexible packages like bubble wraps, shrink wraps, vacuum bags, bags, and cling wraps.
Sei-flexible packages include tetra packs, boxes, and closures.
What Are the Materials Used for Food Packaging?
· Metals
Metals like aluminum and steel are used in food packaging objects like cans, caps, closures, and containers are usually made of aluminum and steel.
They are usually used to package food beverages. This material is very recyclable and is normally coated on the inside to stop any interaction between the metal and the food.
· Paper
This is one of the oldest methods of packaging food and many other materials. It dates back to the 17th century. Paper is usually used to package and carry dry food.
Paper serves the purpose of packaging well since it doesn’t seal with heat. It is highly permeable and able to protect and contain food temporally.
When paper is used as a primary packaging, other precautions are made to ensure that it does the job seamlessly.
The paper is coated or laminated with wax, resin, or lacquer. This is all in a bid to enhance the quality of the paper.
· Glass
This is another material used in packaging that has been in use for a very long time. It is known for very reliable yet non-toxic packaging material.
There are two types of glass packaging popularly known in the world. They are used for packaging alcoholic beverages, water, and soft drinks.
In some places, coffee, milk, syrups, and some spices are packaged with glass.
· Plastic
A very common choice for producers. Plastic is a preferred alternative because is easily formed into any shape desired.
There have been safety concerns about the components of plastic that leave a residue. Yet the use of plastic continues to increase each year.
Conclusion
The materials used to package food have very broad applications. The world of material science has led to innovations and improvements being made in the food packaging industry.
