Types of Food Packaging and know about Industry Development Trends and Production Technologies

by Ali Khalil IT Digital Strategist

The main conditions for successful sales of food products include not only high-quality goods and affordable prices but also reliable, safe, and aesthetically pleasing packaging. Various materials are currently used for transportation, storage, and identification of products - from traditional cardboard and glass to innovative polypropylene with a barrier layer.

Food Packaging Box Materials and Types

On the safety of packaging". According to the latter, the safety of packaging must be ensured:

Sanitary and hygienic indicators of the materials used for its production (the volume of a number of chemicals released from the package should not exceed the permissible concentrations)
Mechanical indicators (the container must withstand the compressive force, hydrostatic pressure, shock, tensile load, and other influences in accordance with the standards)
Indicators of chemical resistance (so that the packaging is resistant to corrosion, oxidation, etc.)
Tightness (seams must not allow air and moisture to pass through)

In addition, it is necessary that the container complies with the labeling rules and the requirements due to the peculiarities of its circulation on the market (storage, transportation, disposal standards). The packaging should have consumer properties: it should be practical (to ensure easy removal of the product, compact placement of the packaging in the refrigerator during storage, etc.) and aesthetic (colorful, attractive).

Packages made of the following materials meet the listed requirements as much as possible and are in high demand

Glass Packaging Box

Products made from this traditional material are absolutely safe and environmentally friendly. They are used for storing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, dairy and sour-milk products, sauces, bottles of ketchup, etc. Glass jars and bottles provide reliable protection of the product from the aggressive effects of oxygen and microflora, and dark glass also from sunlight. The disadvantages of such a container are its insufficient mechanical strength (high fragility), significant weight (up to 30% gross), and a rather high cost of the container itself and its transportation.

Plastic Packaging Box

This group includes products made of polystyrene (cups, plates, spoons, forks), polypropylene (cups for fermented milk products, containers for meat products and semi-finished products), polyvinyl chloride (containers, bottles), polyethylene terephthalate (containers for salads, bulk products) and others. polymers. The advantages of such materials are affordable cost, ease of processing and transportation, compatibility with the production of a wide range of different products. Therefore, plastic products are now the most widely used. The main disadvantages of such dishes are the low environmental friendliness of some types of plastic (with the exception of biopolymers that are gaining popularity). Therefore, you need to carefully approach the choice of plastic packaging: take into account the features of the stored product and materials.

Metal Packaging Box

Containers made of tin, aluminum, other metals, and their alloys are most widely used for packaging canned food. It reliably protects goods from mechanical stress and oxidation. Its disadvantages: high cost, small assortment, and insufficient safety for human health (in case of violation of production and packaging technologies).

Cardboard Packaging Box

These materials are lightweight, compact, and environmentally friendly. They are used for the production of labels, wrapping paper, paper bags, glasses, plates, cardboard packaging boxes. The most widely used paper and cardboard are for packaging confectionery products, as well as in the fast-food industry. The disadvantages of such a container are insufficient protection against unpleasant odors, low moisture resistance, and high cost.

Combined Packaging Box

This group includes blisters, skin-packs made of cardboard and plastic film, as well as tetra-packs made of paper, foil, and polyethylene used for storing dairy products and drinks. This may include packaging made of multilayer plastic materials. For example, polypropylene containers with a high barrier layer. Such packaging allows products to provide a significantly higher degree of protection against the penetration of oxygen and contaminants from the outside, to preserve the aroma and freshness of products for a long time. In addition, it is distinguished by reliability, lightweight, and presentable appearance.

Packaging materials largely determine their types and production technologies.

Types of food packaging

Disposable food packaging boxes have a number of classifications. From the point of view of purpose, the packaging is divided into container-equipment, workshop, and consumer, according to the design - into bottles, containers, tubes, boxes, etc. According to the compactness of the container, it can be collapsible, non-collapsible, and collapsible. Depending on the materials used, and accordingly, on the mechanical stability and degree of strength, packaging means are divided into rigid, semi-rigid, and soft.

Rigid packaging retains its original shape and dimensions when filled with products. It is able to withstand mechanical stress during transportation and storage. Semi-rigid packaging retains its original shape only under light loads, while soft packaging changes shape and size when filled with products.

Depending on the production technology, the packaging can be blown, injection-molded and pressed, thermoformed, and welded. Polymers are universal materials that can be used in the production of containers using all these technologies. The wide range of uses makes this material one of the most demanded on the market.

Soft packaging

This type includes polymer (bags, sacks), paper (bags, wrapping paper), and fabric (twine, ribbons) materials. They are used for mechanically resistant goods as they do not provide enough protection against damage. The advantages of such containers are low purchase and delivery costs, as well as the possibility of sealing to prevent oxidation of the packaged food.

Rigid packaging

This category includes products made of metal (cans, containers, tubes), wood (boxes, trays, baskets, barrels), glass (bottles, cans), and polymer (barrels, boxes). Such a food packaging box protects the contents from mechanical stress, and in some cases - from the effects of oxygen, microflora, ultraviolet radiation. It should be remembered that rigid containers are heavy (25-30% gross), as well as a significant cost.

Blown packaging

Suitable for packaging liquid, pasty, solid and bulk products, carbonated drinks. It is made from various thermoplastics and is a preform that can be blown into bottles when the blanks are heated up to 100 ° C.

Gas-filled packaging

Such containers (trays, cans, containers) are made of polymers that can withstand high loads and temperature extremes. It is lightweight, economical, and protects goods from both mechanical damage and moisture and microorganisms.

Combined packaging

It is obtained by the combined use of polymers, paper or other materials (foil, cardboard). Such a container allows you to store products for a long time, preventing the loss of their consumer properties. This type includes the following types of food packaging:

Flow and skin packaging, shrink, and stretch films. Flow containers are produced by applying a molten polymer to the goods to be packaged, and the skin is formed using shrink films that are applied to the product (with or without a backing). Then the material is heated, compressed, and begins to tightly fit the product. Such containers are used for packing meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits. Its disadvantage is not compatible with all food products; advantages - efficiency and ease of transportation. Stretch films have a wider range of applications (compatible with most products) and do not require heating. But at the same time, the stretch film cannot provide such a tight fit to the product as “skin”.

Vitello packaging is a plastic cup obtained by thermoforming and inserted into a cardboard cylinder. Such containers can be designed using color printing, they are used to store dairy products, sauces, seasonings.

A blister pack consists of a rigid backing and a plastic case that is hemispherical or follows the shape of the product. Such a case is produced by thermoforming methods and is attached to the base using welding, glue, or staples. In such a container can be stored canned fish, pates, and other products.

The discovery of new properties of known materials, innovations in the field of packaging methods, and container design have provided the existing variety of types and varieties of food packaging, which, in turn, provided food manufacturers with a wide choice.

Modern technologies for packaging products

Progress in technological methods of packaging has made it possible to solve a number of problems facing food producers and suppliers: to make the appearance of the goods more attractive, to significantly extend its shelf life without losing consumer qualities, to ensure the convenience of transportation of products.

Modern packaging technologies include aseptic and vacuum packaging, as well as packaging in a gas-modified environment. For liquid products (juices, dairy, and soy products), aseptic packaging technology is most often used. Vacuum packaging is suitable for meat and fish products, and packaging technology using a gas-modified medium is increasingly used for vegetables and fruits.

Aseptic packaging

It consists of paper, aluminum, and polyethylene, the combination of these materials provides reliable protection of the product from oxidation. During processing, the product and container are sterilized (by different methods, separately from each other), and then the package is filled with products and sealed under sterile conditions. Such processing can significantly extend the shelf life of goods without the use of preservatives.

Vacuum packaging of products

It is created with the help of special equipment and various materials: paper, polyethylene, foil, aluminum, etc. In the process of packing goods, the air is pumped out of a bag (or another container). This allows you to protect food from environmental influences and extend its shelf life up to 15–21 days. The disadvantages of this method are the loss of some useful properties and taste of a number of products, the likelihood of the development of anaerobic microorganisms inside the bag.

Gas-modified packaging

This technology was developed in order to eliminate those shortcomings that vacuum bags have. It provides for filling the package with a product with a specially selected mixture of gases (a separate component is used for each type of product). The filling of the package with gas is carried out after evacuating the air. This technique makes it possible to slow down the degradation processes in the product and preserve its natural properties.

Various methods and varieties of food packaging, packaging design solutions are due not only to the development of science and technology but also to the market conditions.

Packaging Industry Trends

In conclusion, let's highlight some global trends in the field of packaging materials:

Growing demand for modern innovative packaging materials, including plastic (for example, polypropylene). In particular, since 2008, polymer packaging (39% of the Canada packaging market) has taken the leading position in terms of use, displacing cardboard packaging and paper products from the first place.
Increase in the production of glass containers, corrugated containers, and packaging polymer films, as well as containers of a combined type and packaging with programmable properties.
Improving the environmental friendliness of manufactured containers (use in the production of biopolymers).
Creation of robust and easy-to-use large print bags driven by the growing number of seniors.
Widespread use of QR codes and other technical solutions in the field of information technology, allowing you to obtain the necessary information about the product using a mobile device.
Active development of production in the field of packaging recycling.
Increasing the protective properties of packaging materials, reducing their material consumption.
Separately, it is worth noting the trend of an increase in demand for products of domestic manufacturers, which is due to the policy of import substitution.