There might be days where you are walking around with a can of your favourite drink or
you go for a movie night with snack packets to munch on later or after a tiring day you head home with the grocery list you were asked to buy!
So one thing we got to realise from all of this is the fact that processed food plays a major part in our day-to-day life.
While roaming around with a food packet in one hand and a cold drink can in another, what makes you trust the quality and safety of the food that you consume?
We often think that the food processing company provides us with fresh ,high quality food but if we really think about it, doesn’t the packaging of that item have a huge role in it.
Isn't that what maintains the freshness of each and every food item that you consume on a daily basis!
So today ,it doesn't matter if you are a food manufacturing company who landed here to gain information on the various food packaging items that we make use of, or you are a mere curious human being who wants to know how exactly we decide on the right packaging materials! Do not worry , we have got you covered.
What exactly is food packaging?
Food packaging refers to the process of preserving or protecting food products for the purpose of distribution, storage or consumption.
It takes various packaging materials and tools to ensure a food item’s safety, quality, preservation and presentation.
Food packaging designs also play a major role in setting a product apart from its competitors.
If or When a food product is not properly packed or the usage of wrong packaging materials, can lead to its contamination, spoilage, nutrient-loss, safety risks etc.
So whether it be packaging for snacks, household products, personal care products , or industrial products, one must provide due care while fixing the packaging for food items.
To learn more about the packaging materials used in frozen products click on Packaging for frozen products
What are some of the common materials used for food packaging items ?
To begin with ,we have plastic material that is considered to be the cheapest packaging material to keep a food item fresh. But is it recyclable or durable for that matter? Well, not really,
Another common packaging material that are commonly used are cardboard boxes, they can come in various sizes, shapes and also can be printed as per the
brand’s requirement for marketing.
But even though these are recyclable they are not that durable because there is a high chance of the package being destroyed in case of presence of moisture in it.
Then we have glass jars and tin cans for packaging which are both durable and recyclable but are much more expensive compared to that of plastics.
One of the recent packaging trends that has immersed are packaging pouches. Pouch packaging is the use of pouches or bags as packaging material for the protection of food items.
These pouches are preferred due to its versatility, lightweightness and portability, extended shelf life, convenience, customised designs, reduced environmental impact and its cost efficiency.
Materials for Food packaging items
Flexible pouches
Some of the common packaging pouches that food manufacturing companies often prefer are stand-up pouches, spout pouches, flat pouches, retort pouches, zipper pouches, gusseted pouches, vacuum pouches, slider pouches etc
Such pouches are commonly used for food items like snacks, semi-liquid products, dry fruits ,pre-cooked meals, coffee etc.
Food manufacturing companies prefer pouch packaging due to many reasons, them being;
Lightweight and portability- pouch bags are considered extremely lightweight when compared to other packaging materials such as glass, cardboard boxes, tin cans etc. which reduces the overall shipping costs.
Extended Shelf Life - most of the packaging companies provide effective packaging exterior making it resistant towards moisture, air , temperature etc which results in maintaining its freshness.
Convenience- pouch packages are extremely convenient not only to the food manufacturing companies but to the customers as well.
Reduced environmental impact- these pouches are eco-friendly in nature. They use materials that are recyclable in nature while making these.
Space efficiency- Packaging pouches take up much less of space when compared to other packaging materials which in return reduces the storage cost as well.
Cost efficiency - as we have seen, compared to other packaging materials pouch packaging helps in maintaining low cost for production, transportation, and storage which overall helps the company in earning savings.
Brand recognition - finally, of course having a unique and creatively designed pouch for your product can help you stand out in a shelf which leads to improved brand recognition.
the demand for flexible pouch packaging is rising rapidly that the Indian flexible packaging market is estimated to have CAGR growth rate of 12.69% between 2023-2028
Glass jars
These are considered as a commonly used packaging material that is versatile in nature.
They are mostly used for packaging for frozen products, dairy products, baby food, medicinal food, beverages, premium products etc.
Glass is commonly used as a luxury packaging tool, one of the common problems regarding glass materials faced both by the manufacturers and the customer is the accidental breakage of the container.
Metal tin cans
Cans are mostly made from either tin or aluminium, these are highly recyclable, reusable and affordable and also safe from breakage and destruction of the product compared to glass.
Cans are mostly used for packaging soups, sauces, sodas, energy drinks etc.
Corrugated cardboard boxes
This packaging material is mostly used for shipment of products. The chances of us coming across this packaging material is extremely high.
Whether it be for transportation of pre-packed products or sealing and shipment of these products, corrugated cardboard boxes are extensively used mostly for consumer goods.
Plastic Bottles
Bottles are a kind of packaging material that even kids are familiar with nowadays.
As we all are familiar with the fact that bottles are a type of packaging container that comes with a packaging cap that is screwed shut which helps in containing the item being stored in it.
Shrink films
Shrink films is a transparent packaging material used to cover both frozen and non-frozen food items.
When heat is applied to the film via a heat gun or heat tunnel, it causes the polymers to break their structure and move freely.
This leads the shrink film to take the form of its container or the item that is being contained.
Shrink film is mostly used as a primary packaging especially for cheese, meat , veggies etc.
Are you looking for food packaging services for your business ?
We are TRENDS PACKAGING where excellence in packaging meets innovation.
With a commitment to delivering top-tier packaging solutions, we take pride in being one of the best packaging company in Chennai and Kerala in the industry.
Over the years, we have grown to become an experienced and reputable company in the flexible packaging industry.
We produce some of the best flexible packaging for various product applications and supply them to the market leaders.
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