FOOD PACKAGING

INTRODUCTION
Package: It cuts contact between material and outside influences. Package
material comes in direct contact with the product (Packaging).

Pack: Secondary container. Packing material never comes in contact with product.

Packing: Number of containers/packages put together in big container is called pack.

Process of packing.
Primary packaging is the material that first envelops the product and holds it.
This usually is the smallest unit of distribution or use and is the package which is
in direct contact with the contents (viz. butter in parchment paper).
Secondary packaging is outside the primary packaging – perhaps used to group
primary packages together (viz. paper board pack containing butter wrapped in
veg. parchment paper).
Tertiary packaging is used for bulk handling, warehouse storage and transport
shipping.The most common form is a palletized unit load that packs tightly into
containers (viz. Boxes containing 2025 or 50 butter packs are put together).
MEANING

 Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale,
and use.

 Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages.

 Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale,
and end use.

 Packaging contains, protects, preserves, transports, informs, and sells. In many countries it is fully integrated into
government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use.
 IMPORTANCE

 The value of food packaging to society has never been greater nor, paradoxically, has packaging attracted so much adverse media publicity and
political attention. In response, stakeholders in the food industries need to fully appreciate and actively promote the positive contributions that their
packaging makes to the quality of life. Food packaging is governed by a mass of laws, regulations, codes of practice and guidelines.
The societal benefits of packaging may include the following:
 Prevents or reduces product damage and food spoilage, thereby saving energy and vital nutrients, and protecting the health of the consumer
requires less municipal solid waste disposal since it promotes processed food residue recycling for use as animal feed or compost. For example,
from 454 g (1 lb) of fresh corn-on-the-cob purchased at the supermarket, the customer eats approximately only 170g (six ounces), and the rest
ends up in the trash can and, ultimately, in the local landfill (institute of pack-aging professionals, IOPP, USA). This same amount of edible frozen
corn can be packed in a polyethylene bag weighing less than 5 g (less than 0.18 ounce)
 Lowers the cost of many foods through economies of scale in mass production and efficiency in bulk distribution. Savings are also derived from
reduced product damage
 Reduces or eliminates the risk of tampering and adulteration
 Presents food in an hygienic and often aesthetically attractive way
 Communicates important information about the food and helps consumers make informed purchases
 Provides functional convenience in use or preparation, freeing up more time
 Promotes goods in a competitive marketplace and increases consumer choice
 Facilitates the development of modern retail formats that offer consumers the convenience of the one-stop shop and the availability of food from
around the world throughout the year
 Extends the shelf life with the benefit of prolonged product use, thereby reducing wastage saves energy through the use of ambient packs that do
not require refrigeration or frozen distribution and storage.
FUNCTIONS

Basic functions of packaging are more specifically stated:

 Containment: depends on the product’s physical form and nature. For example, a hygroscopic free-flowing
powder or a viscous and acidic tomato concentrate
 Protection: prevention of mechanical damage due to the hazards of distribution
 Preservation: prevention or inhibition of chemical changes, biochemical changes and microbiological
spoilage
 Information about the product: legal requirements, product ingredients, use etc.
 Convenience: for the pack handlers and user(s) throughout the packaging chain
 Presentation: material type, shape, size, colour, merchandising display units etc.
 Brand communication: e.g. pack persona by the use of typography, symbols, illustrations, advertising and
colour, thereby creating visual impact
 Promotion (Selling): free extra product, new product, money off etc.
 Economy: for example, efficiency in distribution, production and storage
 Environmental responsibility: in manufacture, use, reuse, or recycling and final disposal.
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF A PACKAGING MATERIAL
To contain the
product

Means of Means of selling

minimizing costs product
Functions of
Packaging

Medium of To protect the

communication product
Technical Marketing
functions functions
Contain Communicate
Protect Display
Preserve
Inform
Measure
Dispense Promote

Store Sell
1. CONTAINMENT

 All products must be contained before they can be moved from one place to another.
 The "package", whether it is a bottle of cola or a bulk cement rail wagon, must contain the product to function
successfully.
 Without containment, product loss and pollution would be wide spread.
 The containment function of packaging makes a huge contribution to protecting the environment from the myriad
of products which are moved from one place to another. Faulty packaging (or under packaging) could result in
major pollution of the environment.
2. PROTECTION

 This is often regarded as the primary function of the package: to protect its contents from outside environmental
effects, such as water, moisture vapour, gases, odours, micro-organisms, dust, shocks, vibrations and compressive
forces, and to protect the environment from the product.
 For the majority of food products, the protection afforded by the package is an essential part of the preservation
process. For example, aseptically packaged milk and fruit juices in paperboard cartons only remain aseptic for as
long as the package provides protection. Likewise, vacuum packaged meat will not achieve its desired shelf life if
the package permits oxygen to enter.
 In general, once the integrity of the package is breached, the product is no longer preserved.
 Packaging also protects or conserves much of the energy expended during the production and processing of the
product..
3. CONVENIENCE

 Trend towards "grazing" (i.e., eating snack type meals frequently and on-the- run, rather than regular meals), the demand
for a wide variety of food and drink at outdoor functions such as sports events and leisure time, have created a demand
for greater convenience in household products.
 The products designed around principles of convenience include foods which are pre-prepared and can be cooked or
reheated in a very short time, preferably without removing them from their primary package. Sauces, dressings and
condiments that can be applied simply through aerosol or pump-action packages minimize mess. Thus packaging plays an
important role in meeting the demands of consumers for convenience.
 Two other aspects of convenience are important in package design. One of these can best be described as the
apportionment function of packaging. In this context, the package functions by reducing the output from industrial
production to a manageable, desirable "consumer" size.
 An associated aspect is the shape (relative proportions) of the primary package with regard to consumer convenience
(Ex., easy to hold, open and pour as appropriate) and efficiency in building into secondary and tertiary packages.
 In the movement of packaged goods in interstate and international trade, it is clearly inefficient to handle each primary
package individually.
4. COMMUNICATION

 A package functions as a "silent salesman".

 The modern methods of consumer marketing would fail were it not for the messages communicated by the package.
 The ability of consumers to instantly recognize products through distinctive branding and labeling enables supermarkets to function on a
self-service basis.
 Without this communication function (i.e., if there were only plain packs and standard package sizes), the weekly shopping expedition to
the supermarket would become a lengthy, frustrating nightmare as consumers attempted to make purchasing decisions without the
numerous clues provided by the graphics and the distinctive shapes of the packaging.
 Other communication functions of the package are equally important. Today the widespread use of modem scanning equipment at retail
checkouts relies on all packages displaying a Universal Product Code (UPC) that can be read accurately and rapidly.
 Nutritional information on the outside of food packages has become mandatory in many countries. But it is not only in the supermarket
that the communication function of packaging is important.
 Warehouses and distribution centers would (and sometimes do) become chaotic if secondary and tertiary packages lacked labels or
carried incomplete details. When international trade is involved and different languages are spoken, the use of unambiguous, readily
understood symbols on the package is imperative. UPC’s are also frequently used in warehouses where hand-held barcode readers
linked to a computer make stock-taking quick and efficient.
 Now the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to secondary and tertiary packages is beginning to revolutionize the
supply chain.
OTHER FUNCTIONS

 Dispensing: Consumers: Product not used all at once, remove a portion… without destroying/damaging the remaining product/container.
 Preserve: Remaining product in containerProtection and preserve it for extended/desired period.
 Measuring / Portion control: Single serving or single dosage package has a
precise amount of contents to control usage. Bulk commodities (such as salt) can
be divided into packages that are a more suitable size for individual households. It also aids the control of inventory: selling sealed oneliter-
bottles of milk, rather than having people bring their own bottles to fill themselves.
 Security: Packaging can play an important role in reducing the security risks of
transport. Packages can be made with improved tamper resistance to deter tampering and also can have tamper-
evident features to help indicate tampering. Packages can be engineered to help reduce the risks of package pilferage: Some
package constructions are more resistant to pilferage and some have pilfer
indicating seals. Packages may include authentication seals to help indicate that
the package and contents are not counterfeit. Packages also can include antitheft devices, such as dye-
packs, RFID tags, or electronic article surveillance tags, that can be activated or detected by devices at exit points and require specialized tools
to deactivate. Using packaging in this way is a means of loss prevention.
COMMONLY USED PACKAGING MATERIALS
%
No. Materials Consumption Examples of Use
India Global
Paper and paper
1 board 40 29 Bags, boxes, cartons
2 Glass 16 8 Bottles, jars
3 Metal 5 19 Cans, aluminum foil
Overwraps, bags, cups,
4 Plastics 15 39 bottles
5 Wood Crates, pallets
6 Cloth Sacks
Multilayered plastics,
7 Laminates cartons
8 Others 24 5
SELECTION OF A PACKAGING MATERIAL

1. Composition of the food (solid or liquid)

2. Physical, chemical, and microbiological and deteriorative reactions that might occur
3. Storage conditions and time of storage
4. Socioeconomic situation of the anticipated customer or market
5. Desired package attractiveness
6. Cost of the packaging material
7. Packaging technology selected
8. Specific functional properties of the packaging material
 IDEAL PACKAGE MATERIAL -
CHARACTERISTICS
There is no such thing as the ideal packaging. Packaging should be such that we
could come close to the ideal and the criteria of ideal packaging are listed as
✓ Fit into production line
✓ Zero toxicity
✓ Protection from Mechanical hazards especially
✓ Compatible with the product transportation and climatic hazards.
✓ High product visibility ✓ Advertising potential.
✓ Strong marketing appeal ✓ Attractive appearance.
✓ Ability of moisture and gas control ✓ Acid/Alkali resistance
✓ Stable performance over a large temperature range ✓ Oil/Grease Resistance
✓ Low cost and availability ✓ Resistance to photochemical changes
✓ Suitable mechanical strength (i.e., strength in compression, wear, and ✓ Resistance to insects and rodents
puncture characteristics)
✓ Fire proof (resistant to smoke, fume and water)
✓ Easy machine handling and suitable friction coefficient
✓ Pilfer proof (malpractice)
✓ Closure characteristics, such as opening, sealing and resealing, pouring
✓ Inert
✓ Ability to include proper labeling
✓ Economic
✓ Resistance of migration or leaching from package
✓ Easily available
✓ Protection from loss of flavor and odor
✓ Controlled transmission of required or unwanted gases
CHARACTERISTIC OF AN IDEAL PACKAGE
Protection from
Compatible with Mechanical hazards Fit into a Advertising Attractive
especially
product. transportation and production line. potential. appearance.
climatic hazards.
Sufficient
Easy to handle
Moisture mechanical strength Acid¸ alkali Grease & oil
during…Production,
to withstand drop,
storage and proof/resistance. vibration, resistance. resistance.
Distribution
compression etc.

Resistance to Resistance to Fire proof

photochemical insects and resistant to Pilfer proof Inert: No effect
changes in rodents. smoke, fume and (malpractice). on flavour/aroma.
product. water.
Protect against
microorganisms. It
Not injurious to Protect against should not harbour
Economic. Easy availability.
health. climatic hazards. microbes rather
restrict their
growth.
Functional requirements of a packaging material

No. Functional Property Specific Factors

1 Gas permeability O2, CO2, N2, H2O vapor
2 Protection against
environmental factors Light, odor, microorganisms, moisture
3 Mechanical properties Weight, elasticity, heatsealability,
mechanical sealability, strength
(tensile, tear, impact, bursting)
4 Reactivity with food Grease, acid, water, color
5 Marketing related Attractiveness, printability, cost
properties
6 Convenience Disposability, repeated use,
resealability, secondary use
7 Aroma Aroma compound barrier property
 REASONS FOR SELECTION AND REJECTION OF SPECIFIC PACKAGING MATERIALS

Paperboard Glass Steel Plastics

Selection
Easily machined
and folded Product visibility Strong, stiff Fabricability
Easy to bond Impervious, inert Malleable Variety of forms
Tough,
Composites well Image of high Quality Retortable lightweight
Permanence, Wide range of
Printability Ovenable, Reusablity Reusablity properties
Rejection
Chances of water of water
absorption Shatters, Scratability Corrodes Thermal limit

Penetrable High weight to strength ratio Limits shapes Permeable

Image Limited shapes Appearance Absorbs flavors

Tears, punctures Large sizes Flavor distortion Distortion and creep
PROPERTIES OF GLASS

Inert with respect to foods

Transparent to light and may be coloured

Impermeable to gases and vapours

Rigid

Can be easily returned and reused

Brittle and breakable

Needs a separate closure

Widely in use for both single and multi-trip packaging

PROPERTIES OF TINPLATE AND ALUMINIUM

Rigid material with a high density for steel and a low density.

Good tensile strength

An excellent barrier to light, liquids and foods

Needs closures, seams and crimps to form packs

Used in many packaging applications: food and beverage cans, aerosols, tubes, trays and drums

Can react with product causing dissolution of the metal

PROPERTIES OF PAPER AND PAPERBOARD
Low-density materials
Poor barriers to light without coatings or laminations
Poor barriers to liquids, gases and vapours unless they are coated, laminated or wrapped
Good stiffness
Can be grease resistant
Absorbent to liquids and moisture vapour
Can be creased, folded and glued
Tear easily
Not brittle, but not so high in tensile as metal
Excellent substrates for inexpensive printing
PROPERTIES OF PLASTICS

Wide range of barrier properties

Permeable to gases and vapours to varying degrees
Low density materials with a wide range of physical and optical properties
Usually have low stiffness
Tensile and tear strengths are variable
Can be transparent
Functional over a wide range of temperatures depending on the type of plastic
Flexible and, in certain cases, can be creased
PACKAGING STANDARD ASSOCIATIONS

Professional packaging associations

• IoPP: Institute of Packaging Professionals, Illinois, USA
• PAC: Packaging Association of Canada,Toronto
• PMMI: Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, Reston,VA, USA
• FPA: Flexible Packaging Association, Linthicum, MD, USA
• WPO:World Packaging Organization, Stockholm, Sweden

Other organizations having a major impact on packaging activities

• ISO: International Organization for Standards, Geneva, Switzerland
• ASTM:American Society for Testing and Materials, Pennsylvania, USA
• TAPPI:Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, Norcross, GA, USA
• ISTA : International Safe Transit Association, Michigan, USA
• FSSAI: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, New Delhi
 FOOD BIODETERIORATION

Biodeterioration can be defined as the breakdown of food by agents of micro-biological origin, either directly or
indirectly from products of their metabolism.
Agents of food biodeterioration
• Peroxidase
• Pectinesterase and Polygalacturanase (softening of F/V
tissues)
Enzymes • Lipoxygenase
• Catalase
• Polyphenol oxidase
• Chlorophyllase

Micro- • Bacteria
organisms • Fungi

Non-enzymic • Maillard Browning

biodeterioration