How to choose the right outer packaging for your product

1. You must understand the protective requirements of food

Different foods have different chemical components, physical and chemical properties, etc., so different foods have different protective requirements for packaging. For example, the cake is rich in oil, soft, and has a certain water content, so it should at least meet the following requirements: oil-proof and high-oxygen resistance (to prevent oil leakage and grease from being oxidized), high moisture resistance (to prevent the cake from losing moisture dries and hardens). For another example, the packaging of tea should have high oxygen resistance (to prevent the active ingredients from being oxidized), high moisture resistance (tea gets moldy and deteriorated when wet), high light resistance (the chlorophyll in tea will change under the action of sunlight), and high resistance to aroma. (The aroma components of tea molecules are easily emitted, and the tea flavor is lost. In addition, tea leaves are also very easy to absorb external odors), and a considerable part of the tea currently on the market is packaged in ordinary PE, PP and other transparent plastic bags, which greatly wastes the effective use of tea leaves. ingredients, the quality of tea is not guaranteed. Contrary to the above foods, fruits, vegetables, etc. have respiration options after picking, that is, the packaging is required to have different permeability to different gases. For example, roasted coffee beans will slowly release carbon dioxide after packaging, and cheese will also produce carbon dioxide after packaging, so their packaging should be high oxygen barrier and high carbon dioxide permeability. The packaging of fruits and vegetables is often required to be mildew-proof, because the small mist droplets on the inner wall of the packaging bag will cause a series of unfavorable biochemical uses of the fruits and vegetables, resulting in easy browning and perishability of fruits and vegetables. Different varieties of fruits and vegetables and the same kind of fruits and vegetables with different maturity have different requirements on the ventilation and selectivity of packaging materials. There are also differences in the protective requirements for packaging of raw meat, processed meat food, beverages, snacks, and baked goods. For example, the coating of canned meat should be resistant to sulfur, the coating of canned fruit should be acid-resistant, the container of aerated beverage should be able to withstand a certain pressure, the packaging container of wine should be resistant to alcohol and block aroma, etc. Therefore, the packaging should be scientifically designed according to the different properties of the food itself and the protective requirements of the water.

2. Choose packaging materials with suitable protection function

The traditional packaging materials are mainly glass bottles, metal cans, cartons, and cartons. Modern food packaging materials mainly include plastics, paper, composite materials (multi-layer composite materials of various types such as plastic/plastic, plastic/paper, plastic/aluminum, foil/paper/plastic, etc.). 1. Composite material Composite material is a flexible packaging material with many types and applications. At present, there are more than 30 kinds of plastics used in food packaging, and there are hundreds of multi-layer composite materials containing plastics. Composite materials generally use 2-6 layers, but can reach 10 or more layers for special needs. The use of plastic, paper or tissue paper machine, aluminum foil and other substrates, scientific and reasonable compounding or lamination compatibility, can almost meet the packaging requirements of various foods. 2. There are fifteen or six kinds of plastics used for food packaging in the plastic market, such as PE, PP, PS, PET, PA, PVDC, EVA, PVA, EVOH, PVC, ionomer resin, etc. Among them, those with high oxygen resistance include PVA, EVOH, PVDC, PET, PA, etc., those with high moisture resistance include PVDC, PP, PE, etc.; those with high resistance to radiation such as PS aromatic nylon, etc.; those with low temperature resistance such as PE, EVA, POET, PA, etc.; good oil resistance and mechanical properties, such as ionomer resin, PA, PET, etc., which are resistant to high temperature sterilization and low temperature, such as PET, PA, etc. The monomer molecular structure of various plastics is different, the degree of polymerization is different, the type and quantity of additives are different, and the properties are also different. Even the properties of different grades of the same plastic will be different. Therefore, it is necessary to select suitable plastics or a combination of plastics and other materials according to the requirements. Improper selection may cause the quality of food to decline or even lose its edible value. 3. Paper and cardboard Modern packaging mainly uses various processed potatoes (cardboard), composite paper, laminated paper (cardboard), etc., such as polymer material processing paper, wax processing paper, oil processing paper, cellophane, parchment, plated paper, etc. Aluminum paper, paper/aluminum foil laminate, etc. In transportation packaging, corrugated cardboard is used more, and corrugated boxes and pallets almost replace wooden boxes. Honeycomb carton is a relatively new high-strength cardboard container. In addition, it should be noted that aluminized paper, aluminized plastic and paper/aluminum foil laminates, and plastic/aluminum foil laminates have different internal structures, properties, costs, etc., and should be properly selected according to different protection requirements and cost requirements. .

Three, Adopt advanced packaging technology methods

In order to prolong the shelf life of food, new packaging technologies that are constantly developed, such as active packaging, anti-mold packaging, moisture-proof packaging, anti-fog packaging, anti-static packaging, selective breathable packaging, non-slip packaging, buffer packaging, etc., are used in developed areas. New technologies are not widely used in my country, and some methods are still blank. The application of these advanced technologies can significantly improve the protection function of packaging.

4, Select packaging machinery and equipment that is matched with food processing technology

In order to meet the needs of food processing technology, a variety of new packaging equipment has been developed, such as vacuum packaging machines, vacuum inflatable packaging machines, heat shrink packaging machines, blister packaging machines, skin packaging machines, sheet thermoforming equipment, liquid Filling machines, forming/filling/sealing packaging machines, complete sets of aseptic packaging equipment, etc. According to the selected packaging materials and packaging process methods, the selection or design of packaging machinery matched with food processing technology and production capacity is the guarantee of successful packaging. V. Packaging and decoration design and brand awareness of packaging design Packaging and decoration design should conform to the hobbies and habits of consumers and consumers in exporting countries. The pattern is designed to coordinate with the interior. The trademark should be in an obvious position, and the text description should meet the food requirements. Product descriptions should be truthful. Trademarks should be catchy, easy to understand, easy to spread, and can play a good role in publicity. The packaging design of branded products should have brand awareness. Some product packaging can be easily replaced, which affects sales. For example, Lao Liujo Vinegar has a good reputation in Japan and Southeast Asia, but the sales volume after the replacement packaging is greatly reduced. Suspect. Therefore, a product should be scientifically packaged and cannot be easily changed.

Life is full of packaging. I believe that with the development of technology, more high-quality packaging products will emerge as the times require. At the same time, it will also become a trend that determines people's purchasing trends. This survey is only my first foray into food packaging, and it is not perfect and comprehensive, but the problems in it are worth noting at the same time, that is, to continuously improve the function of packaging in food, so that it has more complete functions.