Food packaging. polymer and natural

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

It's hard to even imagine that even twenty-five years ago in grocery stores or small grocery stores, there were no supermarkets, they didn't even hear about food packaging film. Imagine, packaging for bulk food products is a paper bag that the grocery store clerk deftly twists in front of you. Cottage cheese in the dairy department - in a similar bag. Kefir and ryazhenka only in glass bottles, milk and sour cream too, or even for bottling in your jar or can. There were collection points for glass containers. A plot from a science fiction movie or, enthusiastically, science fiction! In pursuit of the conveniences of the bustling life of megacities, we began to forget the taste of natural products, not as attractive and alluring as in bright advertising packages, but so tasty, and most importantly, he althy. Therefore, let's try to understand the whole variety of food packaging materials and their compliance with hygiene and sanitation standards, because. in today's world, they are indispensable.

Basic requirements forpackaging

Today everything is packed everywhere. But no matter how distracting or attractive you are, do not forget that food packaging should first of all protect them from bacteria, microbes and other harmful effects, and the environment from pollution, and preserve the quantity of the product. When buying, especially perishable products, you need to carefully check the integrity of the packaging, its quality, production and packaging times. Synthetic plastic packaging for foodstuffs must have a sanitary certificate of compliance with all hygienic requirements during its production. Only he confirms the physiological and biological harmlessness of this material for human he alth. Different products have different standards and requirements for storage and transportation conditions, but they are very strict. Traders and manufacturers must strictly comply with them.

Classification of food packaging

There are several ways to classify packaging. The most common - according to the material from which it is made. The most ancient in this classification are wooden, glass and textile packaging. These are barrels, boxes, cans, bottles, bags and more. Around the seventeenth century, wrapping paper was invented in Germany. From the middle of the nineteenth century, it became parchment. At the same time, cardboard and paper boxes appeared in pastry shops. It was they who became the first carriers of advertising. Tin cans began to be used in the preservation of a wide variety of products at the end of the eighteenth century, this is the beginning of the use of metal as packaging. Twentiethcentury ushered in the era of modern packaging, when polymer packaging for foodstuffs appeared. Its classification into rigid, semi-rigid and soft depends on the properties of the material.

Regardless of what the packaging is made of, it can be industrial, when the products are packed by the manufacturer, or trade, which is carried out at trade enterprises. According to the cycle of use, there are disposable and reusable containers. According to the quantity of the product in the package - piece, multiple and portioned. And by appointment it is classified into trial, for a new product, ordinary and festive; high capacity or small portions. In addition to standard packaging, they develop original or individual packaging for a specific product or a specific consumer.

Natural-based packaging feature

Glass packaging comes first in terms of safety.

It serves as a packaging for any liquid products and is produced in the form of bottles, cans, cylinders of various capacities. Glass is a chemically resistant material that does not harm food, does not impair its taste, and allows you to see the contents. It reliably protects against bacteria, any pollution, moisture. Easily hygienic. Therefore, baby food in the form of purees and juices is packaged mainly in glass jars. When packaging dry formulas intended for infants, cardboard boxes are used for the most part, also a safe packaging material.

The only drawback of glass is brittleness, cardboard is the possibility of deformation and low resistance to moisture if not properly transported or stored. From a natural polymer - cellulose obtained from cotton, environmentally friendly and harmless packaging materials are produced - translucent parchment, crispy sub-parchment, parchment paper additionally treated with glycerin, cellophane. They are used alone, and often combined with other materials, when packaging fat-containing products, spices, tea and other groceries.

Metal packaging

Metal containers made of tinplate, galvanized roofing steel, and aluminum alloys are characterized by high mechanical strength and food safety. To protect against corrosion, its inner part is covered with harmless food-grade enamels that do not change the taste of canned products. Aluminum foil has been widely used, especially in combination with paper coating. It is impervious to microorganisms, oxygen, sunlight, odors.

Laminated foil is ideal for packaging dairy products.

Synthetic polymers and foodstuffs

The food packaging market began to develop very rapidly due to the use of various synthetic materials. Plastic food packaging on a synthetic basis is very diverse, light, does not rot. First of all, these are polyolefins. Polyethylene, PE, different density are widely used in storagenow popular frozen foods with the possibility of reheating due to its high frost resistance, gas permeability, inertness to water and aggressive environments.

Polypropylene is not as cold resistant. The advantage of PP is its resistance to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, which is why it is used in the manufacture of packaging for sterilized products.

Polyethylene terephthalate is mechanically stable at different temperatures. PET is used in the production of films, plastic bottles and vacuum packaging. These products are considered safe if they are labeled accordingly. For example, clear RET symbols on the bottom of a PET bottle indicate its resistance to any liquids. And PVC is a sign of resistance only to water, after opening and contact with oxygen, they become unusable and even dangerous to he alth. Trays for packaging cheeses, dairy products, meat products, boxes of confectionery and other containers are made of styrene polymers and copolymers. Products made of polycarbonate are wear-resistant and retain their properties for a long time. PC packaging is reusable.

Material polyamide is durable, transparent, water-, fat-, heat- and frost-resistant, does not emit harmful substances into food. PA is quite expensive, so it is usually used in combination with other polymers. Polyurethane is similar in properties to PA, but is very toxic. PU labeling on food packaging is unacceptable. Appreciate he alth, use any synthetic container only for its intended purpose.