Introduction to Food Packaging

1. DEFINITIONS
Despite the vital and central role played by packaging, it is often perceived as unnecessary
inconvenience or expense. From the consumer's perspective, packaging can seem either unnecessary or a
significant waste of resources and an environmental threat. Such perceptions arise because the functions of
packaging are either not well understood or are not fully considered. By the time most consumers
encounter food packages that its primary role has often been fulfilled, contributing to the view that
excessive packaging has been used. Packaging is defined as a socio-scientific discipline operating in
society to ensure the delivery of goods to the end consumer in the best possible condition for their
intended use. The now-defunct Packaging Institute International defined packaging as the enclosure of
products, items, or packages in various container forms (such as pouches, bags, boxes, trays, cans, tubes,
bottles) to perform functions like containment, protection, preservation, communication, utility, and
performance. Any device or container performing one or more of these functions was considered
packaging.
Other definitions of packaging include a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport,
distribution, storage, retailing, and final use; a means of ensuring safe delivery to the end consumer at
optimal cost; and a techno-commercial function aimed at minimizing delivery costs while maximizing
sales and profits.
It is important to distinguish between the terms "package," "packaging," and "packing." The
package is the physical entity containing the product. Packaging, as defined earlier, is also a discipline, as
evident in the term "Packaging Technologist." The term "packing" refers to enclosing an individual item
or multiple items within a package or container.
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Typically, distinctions are made among various "levels" of packaging. A primary package directly
contacts the product and serves as the initial and often the primary protective barrier. Examples include
metal cans, paperboard cartons, glass bottles, and plastic pouches. Consumers frequently purchase only
the primary package at retail stores. A secondary package, such as a corrugated case or box, contains
multiple primary packages and serves as the physical distribution carrier. It is often designed for use in
retail displays, known as "shelf-ready" packaging. A tertiary package consists of multiple secondary
packages, with a common example being a pallet of stretch-wrapped corrugated cases. In interstate and
international trade, a quaternary package is often used to facilitate handling tertiary packages. This may be
a large, intermodal metal container capable of holding multiple pallets and being transferred between
ships, trains, and flatbed trucks using giant cranes. Some containers also offer controlled temperature,
humidity, and gas atmosphere settings, crucial for transporting frozen foods, chilled meats, fresh fruits,
and vegetables.
Despite these definitions covering the fundamental roles and forms of packaging, it is essential to
investigate deeper into the packaging functions and the environments in which packages must perform
these functions.
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2. FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
Packaging serves various distinct purposes, including protecting contents from contamination
and spoilage, facilitating transportation and storage, and offering standardized measurement of contents. It
allows for branding and standardization, enabling effective advertising and large-scale distribution.
Special packaging types, featuring dispensing caps, sprays, and convenience features, enhance product
usability. Packages symbolize their contents, communicate the satisfaction a product offers and they also
represent wastefulness after product consumption.
Four primary packaging functions have been identified: containment, protection, convenience,
and communication. These functions are interrelated and must be considered together during package
development.
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CONTAINMENT
Packaging's role in containing products is often overlooked. Except for large, discrete products,
all other items must be contained for transportation. Successful functioning of the "package," whether a
bottle of soda or a bulk container, depends on effective containment. Without proper containment, product
loss and environmental pollution would be widespread.
Packaging's containment function significantly contributes to protecting the environment from
numerous products transported daily in modern societies. Inadequate packaging or under-packaging can
lead to environmental pollution. Even today, not all packaged foods satisfactorily address containment
issues, as seen in instances of package leaks, especially around closures and seals.
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PROTECTION
Protection is often considered packaging's primary role to protect contents from external
environmental factors like water, water vapor, gases, odors, microorganisms, dust, shocks, vibrations, and
compressive forces.
For many foods, package protection is essential to preservation. For instance, aseptically packaged
milk and fruit juices in paperboard cartons remain aseptic only if the package offers protection. Similarly,
vacuum-packaged meat relies on the package to exclude oxygen for desired shelf life. Once the package's
integrity is compromised, the product's preservation is compromised.
Packaging also saves energy expended during production and processing. For example, producing,
transporting, selling, and storing 1 kg of bread requires 15.8 MJ of energy. This energy includes transport
fuel, heating, power, refrigeration, and distribution for wheat farming, milling, baking, and retailing.
Manufacturing a low-density polyethylene bag for a 1 kg loaf of bread consumes 1.4 MJ of energy. Each
unit of packaging energy protects 11 units of product energy. While eliminating packaging may save 1.4
MJ, it would also lead to bread spoilage, wasting 15.8 MJ of energy
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CONVENIENCE
Changes in modern lifestyles, including smaller households, delayed or no child-rearing, increased
female workforce participation, and frequent snacking have prompted a demand for convenience in
household products. Packaging must meet this demand such as offering foods that are quickly prepared or
reheated, sauces and condiments with convenient dispensing features, and mess-minimizing designs.
Convenience packaging promotes sales by simplifying product use. Packages must be designed for
manageable consumer sizes, enabling the mass production of consumer products and cost savings.
Resealable packaging retains product quality after opening, and packages contain suitable portion sizes.
Package shapes prioritize consumer convenience and ease of secondary and tertiary packaging integration.
In interstate and international trade, efficient unitization of packages into secondary and tertiary
levels optimizes materials handling. Maximizing space on pallets is vital for materials handling efficiency.
Unitizing packages is essential, ensuring a minimal number of discrete packages or loads need handling.
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COMMUNICATION
Packaging acts as a "silent salesman," allowing consumers to instantly recognize products through
distinctive branding, labeling, and shapes. This communication is crucial in supermarkets and self-service
settings. Universal product codes (UPCs) facilitate retail checkout using modern scanning equipment.
Nutritional information on food packaging is mandatory in many countries. Smart labels readable
by phone cameras are emerging. Communication becomes crucial in warehouses and distribution centers,
where complete and accurate package labeling is necessary. In international trade with different
languages, unambiguous symbols on packages are essential. Handheld barcode readers and RFID tags are
revolutionizing supply chain management.
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