International Biodeterioration 24 (1988) 387-392

Hygiene Aspects of Packaging in the Food Industry

H. D a l l y n & D. S h o r t e n
The R & D Division, Metal Box plc, Denchworth Road. Wantage, OXI2 9BP, UK

ABSTRACT
The microbiology of a food can be profoundly influenced by the surrounding
package. The microorganisms present on the packaging material may need to
be considered along with those of the product.
This paper considers the microbialflora of the package. It describes some of
the hygiene problems which have arisen in a large company manufacturing
packaging and the measures taken to overcome them.
Types of packing covered include," metal containers: paper and board;
metal~board composites: plastic packaging materials; glass and caps. Whilst
much of the information has been derivedfrom many years of manufacturing
experience, some published data are included to complete the survey.

INTRODUCTION
The prime purpose of any package is to preserve the quality and safety of
the product it contains from the time of manufacture to the time it is used
by the consumer. An equally important function is to protect the product
from b r e a k d o w n in other ways which can be physical, chemical or
biological. Biological degradation may be caused by larger organisms
such as insects as well as by microbes.
The microbiology of a product can be greatly influenced by the
surrounding package - this may be contributed to by the microbial flora
of the packaging material itself, as well as by the effect that the package
has on the existing microbiology of the product. This second factor will
387
International Biodeterioration 0265-3036/88/$03.50 1988 Elsevier Science Publishers
Ltd, England. Printed in Great Britain.

H Dallyn. D. Shorten

388

influence the choice of material since its barrier properties can be

decisive in determining the number and types of microorganisms which
may develop on storage. This has formed the basis of a number of studies
and some of these have been summarised in reviews (e.g. Dallyn &
Everton, 1972; lngram & Simonsen, 1980; Sinell, 1980).
The subject of this review is the control of the microbial flora of the
packaging material so that its effects on the packaged product are
minimal or of no effect.
The hygiene of production, subsequent handling and storage
profoundly influence the microbiology of the finished package and this
is illustrated with each of the various types of packaging.

METAL CONTAINERS
The manufacture of metal containers involves heat curing processes
which result in sterile surfaces. Even where metal surfaces come into
contact with microorganisms present in oil emulsions during manufacture as may be the situation with 'drawn wall ironed" (DWl) cans,
subsequent lacquering and stoving results in sterile or near sterile
surfaces.
Consequently the level of contamination on cans at the time of use
reflects post-production handling and storage.
Transport of unprotected cans in open lorries may result in heavy
contamination especially on the outermost, more exposed cans. Similar
pick-up of microorganisms may occur in warehouses necessitating
cleaning before use. Unpasteurised canned beverages may rely on a
preservative system with very low product contamination, filled under
'clean' conditions. Here washing cans before filling is essential (Table 1).
Products which are filled cold, and which demand a low level of initial
contamination of cans if spoilage is to be avoided, include sweetened

TABLE 1
Mean C o u n t / C a n and Assumed % Reduction After Hot Water (90"C) Washing on a
25-Can Sample

Medium
Nutrient agar
Malt agar
Malt agar
Malt agar
Malt agar

Count

Unwashed

Washed

96 reduction

Total
Total
Yeast
Moulds
Others

51.2
24-6
> 1 I-4
8.9
<4-3

3.23
3-85
0. 15
3-07
0-61

93.7
84.4
99.3
65.5
85.8

Hygiene aspects of packaging in thefood industry

389

condensed milk, margarine and butter. Heavy contamination of

containers, especially with fungal spores, can give rise to button moulds in
sweetened condensed milk and black spots on margarine and butter.
Undesirable changes have been recorded for canned margarine where
infection is thought to have occurred via dust (Dallyn & Everton, 1972).
To avoid such problems special protection of containers may be
necessary during transportation and storage, followed by treatment with
hot air or flaming prior to filling.

PAPER AND BOARD

Paper and board are widely used packaging materials whose microbiological quality is greatly influenced by the raw materials and the
subsequent control of contamination during manufacturing processes.
Careful attention to the various factors involved may serve to reduce
contamination without completely eliminating it. Small numbers of
microorganisms are likely to be present in the final product. Antimicrobial
agents are normally used to provide the added protection needed (Weir,
1982). However the use of an antimicrobial agent may not always be
desirable, or acceptable, especially where food is to be packaged. In this
case some form ofsurface coating is necessary which can be wax, foil or a
polymer. Wax films can be susceptible to microbial attack at the waxfibre interface under conditions of high relative humidity (RH), however
wax coated materials are still widely used. Standards for board
containers are varied but yon Bocklemann (1975) regarded l0
organisms/100 cm 2 as very clean, and the US Department of Health
Education and Welfare (1966) give a standard of not more than l
organism/cm 2 as acceptable, with not more than 250/g of paper.
Board and paper packaging materials need adequate protection
during transportation and subsequent storage needs careful RH control.
Some guidelines are provided in the US Department of Health
Education and Welfare publication (1966).

PLASTIC PACKING MATERIALS

At the time of manufacture packaging products made from polymers are
near sterile. The high temperatures needed for moulding or extrusion are
sufficient to destroy any microorganisms present on the granules.
Contamination on finished products represents subsequent pick-up.
With good control the contamination level can be of the same order as
those quoted for paper and board above (Table 2).

390

H. Dallyn. D. Shorten

TABLE 2
Number of Microorganisms Isolated From Plastic Containers and Lids Over a 6 Year
Period
Sample size

Mean count~unit

Mean count/lO0 cm 2

6025
4124

1.89
bOO

0.78
1.22

Containers
Lids

Contamination from dust may occur because of inadequate cleaning

(Table 3).
Compressed air is frequently used to move containers. Air contains
moisture which condenses as water droplets on compression. In the
piped compressed air supply for pot conveyor systems the water collects
and drains out through valves fitted at the lowest points in the pipe work.
The valves may be automatic or manually operated but if water is
allowed to accumulate it has been found to contain as many as 3 106
bacteria/ml, with a possible threat of contamination to the air supply.
In containers produced by blow-moulding techniques the air supply
used can constitute a major source ofcontamination. The system must be
designed to provide dry air free from dust, oil and microorganisms.
TABLE 3
Effect of Cleandown Procedures on Numbers of
Microorganisms Recovered From Containers
Line

Count~Containera
Before ch,andown

After ch,andown

42.2
48
29.9

0.20
1.80
0.60

A
B
C
UMean of 10.

Manual handling always carries a risk of contamination. This can be

made worse by practices such as the use of water-based adhesive
gummed tape for sealing cartons, In one instance organisms were being
transferred in excessive numbers to formed pots via the operator's hands.
Improved pot handling, automatic carton-sealing equipment and self
adhesive tape removed the hazard.

Hygiene aspects of packaging in the food industry

391

The value of education

The implementation of any system of production hygiene involves

co-operation between the microbiologists, factory management and
workers. Awareness of the hygiene needs can be explained using well
designed demonstrations and training.
Testing of containers

Routine microbiological checks of manufactured containers and lids

help to ensure that these are being manufactured to meet adequate
microbiological standards (Table 2).

GLASS CONTAINERS
Glass bottles, because of the high temperatures used in their manufacture,
are sterile. Generally the atmosphere surrounding bottles during cooling
is somewhat hostile to microorganisms (Moody, 1977). Consequently,
providing some form of protection is given at this stage, sterile bottles or
bottles with a very low microbial load are produced. If glass containers
are suitably protected at all stages from the time they are made to the time
when they are filled microbiological problems will be at a minimum,
thereby benefitting the packaging of beverages (beer and wine) and
pharmaceuticals.
The integrity of the cap or closure is vital if the contents are to be
protected from the ingress of microorganisms. The design of both bottle
and cap must give adequate protection to the product and will be an
important feature where sterility is required: this is discussed in relation
to pharmaceutical products by Allwood (1982) and for food by Hersom
and Hulland (1980).
CAPS
Plastic caps will be subject to similar considerations to those which
apply to plastic containers. Metal caps will depend on whether these
have coated cardboard inserts (or other wad material) or whether a
sealing compound has been applied directly to the cap. Board inserts will
be similar in microbiological properties to other paper and board
packaging.

392

H. Dally,. D. Shorten

Moulds on caps may be a particular problem, first in relation to the

product in the container closed by the cap, and secondly where the lining
c o m p o u n d of the cap supports mould growth. The latter may only
become a problem in the tropics where a combination of high humidity
and temperature for extended periods allows spores to grow and spread
to other caps. The problem must be overcome by a combination of good
factory hygiene, storage and the selection of materials which will not
support m o u l d growth.

REFERENCES
AUwood, M. C. (1982). Medical applications of thermal processes. I n: Principles
and Practice of Disinfection, Preservation and Sterilisation. ed. A. D. Russell,
W. B. Hugo & G. A. J. Aycliffe, Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, pp. 469-77.
Dallyn, H. & Everton, J. R. (1973). The Influence of packaging materials on
microbial growth. Food Technology in Australia, 25, 436--45.
Hersom, A. C. & Hulland, E. D. (1980). Canned Foods. Thermal Processing and
Microbiology 7th Edn. Churchill Livingstone, London.
Ingrain, M. & Simonsen, B. (1980). Meats and meat products. In: Microbial
Ecology of Foods, Vol II. ICMSF, Academic Press, London, pp. 391-2.
Moody, B. E. (1977). Packaging in Glass 2nd Edn. Hutchinson, Benham, London.
Sinell, H. J. (1980). Packaging. In: Microbial Ecology of Foods, Vol I. ICMSF,
Academic Press, London, pp. 193-204.
US Department of Health, Education and Welfare (1966). Fabrication of Single
Service Containers and CIosur,,s for Milk and Milk Products- guide for
Sanitation Stamlards, FDA, Washington DC.
yon Bocklemann, I. (1975). Mikrobiologische Eigenschaften yon Verpackungsmaterial far Lebensmittel. Alimenta, 14, 145-9.
Weir, B. (1982). Preservation of paper and pulp. In: Principh,s and Practice of
Disinfection, Preservation and sterilisation, ed. A. D. Russell, W. B. Hugo &
G. A. J. Ayliffe, Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, pp. 358-64.