The Complete Guide To Food Packaging Materials

Are you in the food processing industry? Just as making great food products is important, proper packaging is even more critical. The packaging you select can make all the difference in the quality of your food products and the success of your business. The right packaging will preserve the quality of your food products by protecting them against contaminants, biochemical changes and physical damages. In addition, you can use your food packaging as a marketing tool for your brand or business.

However, choosing the right food packaging can be challenging. For instance, you will need to decide on the packaging materials to use. Plastics, glass bottles, composite materials, metal cans, papers, etc., are some of the standard food packaging materials available. Here is a guide to help you select the right ones for your food products.

Strength And Durability

The primary function of the packaging is to protect your food products. Therefore, it's imperative that you select sturdy and durable packaging materials. The ideal packaging strength will often depend on your product's fragility. However, it's critical to consider several aspects of the packaging material's strength before deciding on the right one for your product. For instance, assess the material's tensile strength, flex resistance, burst strength, stiffness, tear strength and impact resistance. These strength elements refer to the material's level of resistance against stress, creasing, compressional forces, distortion, cracking or tearing and shock loading.

Security

Security of food products is another critical aspect to keep in mind when selecting packaging materials. You want to preserve the quality of your food products until they reach the customer. Therefore, go for packaging materials with high-level integrity to ensure the security of your products. The material shouldn't burst, crack or tear under pressure. In addition, it should be impervious to absorbing foreign flavours that may affect the quality of your food products.

Your packaging materials should also be tamper-proof. Therefore, go for options with tamper-evident seals. For instance, poly straps and water-activated tapes can go a long way in deterring theft and tampering.

Environmental Friendliness And Legal Compliance

As the world continues to move toward environmental sustainability, there's an increasing need for using eco-friendly products. Packaging materials aren't different. Therefore, choose and use sustainable packaging materials. The materials should be biodegradable, recyclable or reusable.

In addition, every area has unique regulations regarding packaging materials. Therefore, ensure you comply with the local, national, regional and international regulations when selecting your packaging materials. 

For more information, contact a local company that sells food packaging equipment


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