Packaging

Packaging means wrapping or bottling of products to make them safe from damages
during the transportation and storage. It keeps the product safe and marketable and helps in
identifying, describing and promoting the product.
Different kinds of products need different kinds of packaging, for example, liquid products
are packed in barrels and bottles; whereas, solid products are wrapped The organizations used
special containers for fragile products such as glassware.
The terms packing and packaging are used synonymously but there is a certain amount
of difference between the two. Packaging means covering the product itself so that it is protected
from damage, leakage, dust, pollution, contamination, etc. Example: chocolates packed in thin
sheet, milk packaged in sachets, etc.
Packing means putting all the packages in a big box container, chest, crate, etc. for the
purposes of storage, transportation, handling, etc.

The Roles of Food Packaging

Function Rationale
Protect contents and extends shelf life Provides barrier between food and
environment preventing entry of
microorganisms, oxygen that causes
deterioration and odors from other materials.
Reduce mechanical damage during handling.
Optimize safety and quality Prevent post process contamination
Shows evidence of tampering
Facilitates handling Easy to transport and store
Convenience of use and reuse Easy to open and reseal. Reduce household
waste; only edible portion are in the
package.
Identification and description of content Package are labeled with the name of the
product, the ingredients used and other
information about product such as nutritional
contents.
Provide instructions for use Tells consumer how to safely handle the
product.
Marketing tool Promote contents and brand identification

Classification of Packaging.
Packaging may be classified into primary, secondary and tertiary according to basic
function.
• Primary packaging is the packaging in direct contact with the product itself and is
sometimes referred to as consumer or retail packaging. The main purpose of primary
packaging is to protect and/or preserve, contain and inform the consumer. For example:
For beer the primary packaging would be a can or bottle.
• Secondary packaging is predominantly corrugated cardboard packaging print finished to
a high standard, such as being printed with well thought out branding and design, due to
the integral part it has to play in the marketing funnel. For example: Secondary packaging
for beer include beer carry packs or can packs.
 • Tertiary packaging is the packaging that is used to protect not only the product but also
its secondary and primary. For example: when you order some items from an online
shopping site, the sealed cardboard box that you open is the tertiary packaging.

Required Properties for Packaging

For packaging to carry out its function, the material used should have most of the following
characteristics:
1. Non-Toxic And Compatible With The Specific Foods It Contains
2. Sanitary Protection
3. Moisture And Fat Protection
4. Gas And Odor Protection
5. Light Protection
6. Resistance To Impact
7. Transparency
8. Tamper-Proof
9. Case Of Opening
10. Pouring Features
11. Reseal Features
12. Ease Of Recycling/Disposal
13. Size, Shape, Weight-Limitations
14. Uniformity For Bulk Packaging
15. Appearance, Printability
16. Low Cost

Hermetic Seal
For protection, a very important consideration is its ability to provide hermetic seal. The
term hermetic means the container is impervious to bacteria, yeasts, moulds and dirt from dust
and other sources. This package characteristics is important for products that contain enough
water to support the growth of microorganisms and are normally stored at room temperature.
The most common hermetic containers are rigid metal cans and glass bottles, although
defective seams can make them non-hermetic. With every rare exceptions flexible packages
(plastics and laminates) are not truly hermetic for one or more of the following reasons”
1. thin flexible films, generally are not completely gas and moisture impermeable
although the rates of gas and moisture transfer may be exceptionally slow;
2. the seals are generally good but often imperfect;
3. and, even where film materials may be gas and moisture impermeable, such as
plastics that are aluminum foil-laminated, flexing of packages and pouches easily
leads to pinholes and crease holes.
Glass containers are hermetic provided the lids are tight. Lids will have inside rings of
plastic or cork. Many glass containers are vacuum packed and the tightness of the cover will be
augmented by the differential of atmospheric pressure pushing down the cover.
Packaging materials
The most common types of material used for food packaging are paper, fibreboard,
plastic, glass, steel, aluminum and mixed material.

Paper packaging.
When used for food
packaging, paper is coated or
impregnated with such materials as
waxes, resins, lacquers, plastics,
and laminations of aluminum to
improve moisture and gas
impermeability, flexibility, tear
resistance, burst strength, wet
strength , grease resistance
sealability, appearance, printability,
etc. The following are some of the
paper packaging materials used:
1. Kraft paper is the brown unbleached
heavy duty paper commonly used for bags
and as loose wrapper for bread brought
from bakeries and peanuts. It is seldom
used for processed foods as a primary
container.

2. Parchment paper is paper pulp that had been treated with acid causing a modification in
the cellulose to give material wet strength and water and oil resistance.

3. Glassine-type papers are characterized by long wood pulp fibers which impart increased
physical strength;
4. Paper laminated with plastic materials.The main use of paper in food packaging is as
secondary packaging, especially as carton boxes. Laminated paper is also used for baked
products such as biscuits, cakes and cup cakes. An interesting product making use of paper
as a laminate is the composite cans that is currently used to pack such potato snack items as
Pringles and Pik-nik.

5. Glass containers.
 As a food package,
glass is chemically inert. It
is the metal closure that
has a problems of corrosion
and reactivity with acidic
foods. The major
disadvantage of glass is its
susceptibility to breakage,
which may be due to
internal pressure, impact,
or thermal shock. This
limitation can be minimized
by proper matching of the container to its intended use and better handling practices.

Older types of glass containers were thick and heavy. These heavier glass jars were less
likely to break from internal pressure, but were more susceptible to both thermal shock and impact
breakage. Greater thermal shock breakage of the heavier jar is due to the lower resilience of its
thicker wall. Improvements in glass making technologies have made possible thinner, lighter
materials with much reduced tendency to break. These improvements utilized coatings with
special waxes and silicones.

Breakage due to thermal shock is avoided by minimizing temperature differences between

the inside and outside of glass containers whenever possible. Manufacturers recommended that
temperature difference between the inside and outside of the glass should not exceed 44 C (80
F). This requires warming of bottles before hot filling and gradual cooling after cooling.

Despite the above disadvantage of glass, it is the container of choice for many heat
processed food such as baby foods, fruit preserves, beverages and fish products. The
advantages of glass packaging are:

• they do not reach to food content

• they are transparent, customers can see the food they are buying
• glass can be manufactured in various in various shapes (regular and fancy) and
sizes (mini bottles to carboys), and color
• can be manually sealed, eliminating the need for a special sealing machine,
which is usually expensive for small scale processors
• they are reusable.
• can accommodate various types of closures, suitable for various types of
products
a. metal caps
b. plastic caps
c. corks
d. aluminum caps
6. Tin can”/tinplate
The “tin can” is a
container made of tinplate and
is what is popularly known as
can. It is a rigid and impervious
material, consisting of a thin
sheet of low carbon steel
coated on both sides with a
very thin layer of tin. It can be
produced by dipping sheets of
mild steel in molten tin (hot-
dipped tinplate) or by the
electro-deposition of tin on the steel sheet (electrolytic tinplate). With the latter process it is
possible to produce tinplate with a heavier coating of tin on one surface than the other (differently
coated).
For heat processed food, tin cans and glass share a long history of use but more heat
processed food are packed in tin cans than glass. The major advantage of tin cans is its durability
particularly the fact that it does not break. It is resistant to thermal and impact shock thus lends
itself to high speed high volume operations.
Tin is not completely resistant to corrosion but its rate of reaction with many food material
is considerably slower than that of steel. The effectiveness of a tin coating depends on:
• its thickness which may vary from about 0.5 to 2.0 pm (20 to 80 x 10 in)’
• the uniformity of this thickness;
• the method of applying the tin which today primarily involves electrolytic
plating;
• the composition of the underlying steel base plate;
• the type of food, and
• processing factors.

Many canned food including corned beef, tomato products and evaporated milk actually owe
their characteristics flavors to a small amount of dissolved tin, without which these products would
have an unfamiliar taste. However, if the reaction between the food and tin is considered
unfavorably such as the blackening of the food like corn due to sulfur compounds, lacquer coated
is recommended.

7. Plastic films and foils

Films and foils have
different values for moisture
and gas permeability,
strength, elasticity,
inflammability and
resistance to microbial and
insect penetration. Many of
these characteristics depend
upon the film’s thickness.
 Two commonly used films are cellophane and polyethylene. Cellophane paper can e used
to packing of dried products, mainly for dried fruit leathers. Polyethylene sheets have a variety of
uses. They are flexible, transparent and have a perfect resistance to low temperatures, is
impermeable to water vapor and can be easily heat-sealed. Utilization is in forms of sheets and
bags. It is the material used for the plastic bags that all vendors use, which unfortunately ends
up in esteros and clog our drains. It is a good packing material for primary protection of dehydrated
products. If better protection is needed to prevent flavor and gas losses, it will be necessary to
combine polyethylene with other materials to form laminates.

Properties of Some Packaging Films

Material Properties
Paper Strength, rigidity, opacity, printability

Aluminum foil Negligible permeability to moisture, gases and

odors; grease-proof, opacity and brilliant
appearance, dimensional stability and dead folding
characteristics.

Cellulose film (coated) Strength, attractive appearance, low permeability to

moisture, gases, odors and grease, printability.

Polyethylene (PE) Durability, heat sealability, low permeability to

moisture, good chemical resistance, goof low
temperature performance.

Polypropylene (PP) Exceptional resistance to heat, moisture, oil/grease,

acid, bases and some solvents, clear.

Nylon High melting point, is often used in microwavable

products.
Polyvinylidene chloride Low permeability to moisture, gases, co-polymer
(PVDC) odors and greases; chemical resistance; heat
sealability.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Resistance to chemicals, oils and grease; heat

sealability.

Polyethylene terephthalate Strength, durability, dimensional stability, low

(PET) permeability to gases, odors and grease.
 8. Laminates Various flexible materials (papers.
Plastic films, metal foils) have different
properties with respect to water vapour
transmission, oxygen permeability, light
transmission, burst strength, pin holes and
crease hole sensitivity, etc. To get better
protection of the food being package, multi-
layers or laminates of these materials are
combined. Commercial laminates containing
up to as many as eight different layers are
commonly custom designed for a particular
product.

Format of Film Packaging Materials. Plastic films can be made into various format,
which may be classified into 3 general categories as follows:

1. Containers in the form of boxes, bottles and bags that can be heat treated.
2. Containers that are not heat treated, most common of which are bags for fried and
dehydrated products,
3. Films which can shrink.

Nowadays, a manufacturer can choose from various packaging materials. The factors
which determine the suitability of a package are as follows: freedom from toxicity, protective
properties, resistance to mechanical and climatic hazards, printability, general appearance
, sealing characteristics, machine handling and cost.

Taint and odor

While paper and board materials may transmit taint and odor to a food, plastics have a
much greater potential to do this. These taints may be residual monomer e.g. styrene. This is
probably the compound usually responsible when consumers detect a ‘plastic taste’ in a food.
However most food packaging are printed and a number of the components of the ink cause
a pleasant flavors of the food, if manufacture of the packaging material is not carefully controlled.
It would be a standard test to check on the odor of the packaging material at receiving point and
before use.
Many plastics are also not effective barriers to strong odors. This can often be a problem
in storage rooms where various food products are stored. Strong odors from food such as garlic,
onion, langka and durian, can easily pass through plastic film and taint other food. Even non-food
items like detergents, soap and air fresheners can taint food.

Functions of Packaging
The Seven (7) Functions of Packaging
1. Attract buyers attention
2. Protect goods inside the packaging
3. Be easy to open and use
4. Describe and give information about contents
5. Explain the benefits of the good inside
6. Provide warranty, warnings, and consumer matter information
7. Give value, price, and use indication
Transportation Packaging
Transport packaging is used to secure the transport of goods and protect them against
damage. Transport packaging is made of different materials such as films, bubble wrap, boxes,
pallets or moulded parts and straps and is often accompanied by packing materials. The top
priority is always to protect your goods.

Four (4) Purpose of Packaging

1. Protection
2. Convenience
3. Image
4. Sustainability

Function and role of Food Packaging

Function Rationale
Protect Contents and Extends shelf life Provides barrier between food and
environment preventing entry of
microorganism, oxygen that causes
deterioration and odors from other
material Reduce mechanical damage
during handling
Optimize Safety and Quality Prevent post process contamination.
Shows evidence of tampering
Facilities Handling
Easy ti transport and store
Convenience of use and reuse Easy to open and reseal. Reduce
household waste; only edible portion are
in the package.
Identification and description of content Package are labeled with the name of the
product , the ingredients used other
information about product such as
nutritional contents.
Provide instrument for use Tell consumer how safety handle the
product
 Marketing tool Promote content and brand identification.

Classification of packaging

Product packaging can be classified into two categories: primary and secondary
packaging. This applies to any company sending items in bulk or for businesses
sending products directly to the customer via mail or courier.

Primary packaging is the final packaging separating your product from your
customer. This could be the box and wax paper for breakfast cereal or the cardboard
box containing a laptop. For consumer goods, primary packaging often becomes an
extension of the product based on its design, colors, use of logos or, like a Coca-Cola
bottle, the package's shape.

Secondary packaging is the packaging that contains individual units of your product,
like the cardboard carton containing an item you ship directly to a customer or the
shrink-wrapped pallet containing 100 laptops. Secondary packaging is used to get the
product to distributors and retail outlets in bulk. Its purpose is to protect the products
while in transit or when being stored before sale.

Types of Packing Materials for Shipping

When shipping products to your customers, your choice in packing materials should
be determined by the product you're shipping. A T-shirt, for example, doesn't require
the same packing materials as a crystal vase. In most cases, nonfragile products can
be placed in a sturdy cardboard box with filler material such as:

• Crumpled paper
• Tissue paper
• Packing peanuts
• Popcorn
• Bubble wrap
• Foam

Anything that can be damaged by dust or water should be placed in a plastic bag
before going in the box. Sensitive products, like cameras, cell phones or laptops,
should be shipped in their primary packaging with that box being placed in a second
box for shipping. Surround the primary box with foam or bubble wrap to keep it from
moving in the secondary box.

Even if you don't sell a lot of products, if a customer is paying you for a product, you
should take care in selecting your materials. Don't reuse boxes from other companies
with their logos on them, and don't use used boxes that other customers have sent
back with a return. Everything you use should be clean and in good condition.
Packaging may be classified into primary, secondary and teriary according to basic
function. Primary package is the package that is in direct contact with the food and is
the packaging that we are most concerned about.

Unprocessed foods are provided with efficient primary containers by nature, such as
husk of coconut, peel of pomelo, shell of egg and the like. In packaging these
unprocessed products, we generally needs only a secondary outer box, wrap, or drum
to hold units together and give gross protection.

Processed food, on the other hand like beverages, ham, bacon, smoked fish, canned
sardines, sauces and bottles, tins cans, aluminum cans, etc. The secondary container
can may be the shipping packaging containing several units of the secondary package.

Required properties of packaging

• Non-toxic and compatible with the specific food it contains

• Sanitary protection
• Moisture an fat protection
• Gas and odor protection
• Light protection
• Resistance protection
• Transparency
• Tamper proof
• Ease of opening
• Reseal Features
• Size, shape, weight limitation
• Uniformly, printability
• Low cost

Packaging Concerns

1. Product Concerns
2. Cost
3. Convenience
Examples: Easy to Open, Easy to Handle, Resealable Storable
4. Package Safety: Non-breakable, Sanitary
• Strength
• Uniformity (Same Size and Shape)
• Packing Line Compatibility
• Bulk Delivery
• Stacking Strength
• Simple Pallet Patterns (Warehouse Utilization)
5. Promotion
 • Attractive; Describe product’s features; Consumer Friendly
Language; Branding; Innovative: Differentiating
6. Regulatory
7. Environment Friendly
Kinds of Packaging Materials

• Rigid
- Glass
- Metal Cans [Steel, Aluminum]
• Flexible [Pouches, Cardboard]
- Paper
- Plastic

Active and Intelligent Packaging

• Active packaging have active functions beyond the inert passive

containment and protection of the product.
• Intelligent and smart packaging usually involve the ability to sense
or measure an attribute of the product, the inner atmosphere of the
package, or the shipping environment.
• Intelligent packaging includes time-temperature indicators, gas
detectors, and freshness and/or repining indicators.
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

An optimal blend of pure oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen within a high barrier or
permeable package;

Oxygen Scavengers

Vacuum Packaging

Air specifically oxygen is removed from a (usually sterilized) container or packaging

before sealing; must be stored at low temperature.

Process-Package Interactions

• Thermal Processing
• Aseptic Packaging
• High Pressure Processing
• Pulsed Light Processing
 Package Testing
• Technical
- Barrier Properties
- Strength (Instron)
- Stacking Strength
- Ship Tests
• Consumer
- Focus Groups
- Computer Generated Images
- Standard Consumer Tests
- In Store Simulation

Types of packaging materials

. Plastic

The most common packaging methods in industries is plastic. Mainly resin. Resin is
extremely beneficial to packaging companies as it it can be created to be rigid or
flexible depending on what is going to be placed inside the package. Resin is mainly
used with items such as soda and egg trays. Although there are numerous types of
plastic that can be used for packaging methods, resin is the most commonly used
amongst industries.

2. Aluminium

Aluminium is widely used for products such as sodas, beer, canned goods and animal
foods. Because of the high cost of using aluminium to package products, most
industries take donations of recycled canned goods to help save money in their
business.

3. Cardboard

Most products that are packaged in cardboard boxes are first wrapped in another type
of packaging such as bubble wrap or foam. If your industry is planning on cardboard
becoming the main packaging method, it is ideal to invest in a taping machine to
insure you and the customer that the package is sealed tightly with no chance of it
falling out during the delivery.

4. Glass
Glass jars and bottles are highly used for numerous food and beverage products
including jam, honey, alcoholic beverages and food items such as pickles and peppers.
Although glass is extremely fragile it makes for an excellent, well-sealed packaged for
any perishable products. It's a good idea to label any plain glass jars or use glass
transfers to help you identify the contents.

5. Foam

Foam is not as common as other packaging methods, but is used for a variety of
household items like furniture, TV’s, glass or anything else that may have sharp edges
that could puncture cardboard and plastic. Even though the foam is the main part to
the packaging, cardboard is normally used after to encase the product and foam so it
all stays compact.

Self-Evaluation:

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly. ( Send through via messenger group
chat)
1. Discuss how important packaging in food production?
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2. Enumerate and discuss the function and roles of food packaging.
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Review of Concept:

Food packaging
 Food Packaging is defined as enclosing food to protect it from tampering or
contamination from physical, chemical and biological sources, with active packaging
being the most common packaging system used for preserving food products

Most materials used for packaging foods belong to the following classes: metals,
glass, paper and polymers. Some packaging media consist of a combination of two or
more materials of the classes listed above. Enameled (lacquered) metal and laminates
formed by binding together layers of polymer, paper and aluminum foil are common
examples of such composite materials.
The chemical composition and physical properties of packaging materials determine
their ability to fulfill the various functions expected from the package. The most
important properties to be considered in this context are transport properties, optical
properties, mechanical properties and chemical reactivity.

Activities: Online Interaction

- Oral recitation
- Conducting post test

References:

Sanido, Chavez, De Leon (2010), Practical Food Preservation and Processing, Cacho Hermanos,
Inc. Pines corner Union Sts., Mandaluyong City