Know Your Food Packaging Materials
Packaging engineers take great care to ensure food safety and food quality when they design materials used for packaging foods.
These specialty engineers require knowledge of packing science, design engineering, and logistics. They may also be required to design packaging equipment so consumers are assured of excellent quality standards from design to development.
There are several types of food packaging materials. These include:
. Paper
. Foils
. Metals
. Glass
. Plastics
. Paperboard
Each of these materials is used according to the contents to be placed in containers. Packaging material designs are often barely noticed by consumers even as the demand for more convenient containers and greater food safety has taken this industry to new levels of design, development and fabrication standards.
The Environmental Issues Surrounding Packaging Materials
There has been a conundrum surrounding packaging materials that has packaging engineers working toward a resolution.
Several types of food packaging materials, when disposed of or used improperly can create environmental problems.
However this is not necessarily related to packaging materials specifically, but to end users and consumers.
Today, most metals, glass and paper packaging is designed to be recycled. In fact, the recyclability of packaging materials for food has become an environmental mandate in most towns and cities.
Today, plastic packaging materials such as plastic bags, bottles and other containers used for foods are recyclable. This assumes the end user and consumers comply fully with their municipalities’ recycling programs.
Packaging Materials for Foods in the Future
Since there has been a growing trend toward purchasing groceries and whole meals via mobile phones and online, it is important for consumers to make use of remnant food containers and repurpose them where possible or recycle them.
Packaging materials for foods in the future will ensure greater protection from damage during transport or storage and also reduce microbial growth with advanced material design.
