The principal purpose of food packaging continues to be maintaining the safety, wholesomeness, and quality of food. Packaging of food articles should be done in a way that chances of contamination, reaction with packed material, decomposition etc is avoided.
It is important because it aids food distribution, and rapid and reliable distribution helps remove local food surpluses, allows consumers more choice in the foods available and helps to reduce malnutrition.
The major segments of packaging industry are: flexible packaging, folding cartons, corrugated boards and boxes, labels, shrink sleeves and wrappings and glass bottles.
Features of good packaging should:
*To contain foods (to hold the contents and keep them clean and secure without leakage or breakage until they are used). Packaging make them safe from damages during transportation and storage.
*To protect foods against a range of hazards during distribution and storage (to provide a barrier to dirt, micro-organisms and other contaminants, and protection against damage caused by insects, birds and rodents, heat, oxidation, and moisture pickup or loss). Food packaging can retard product deterioration, retain the beneficial effects of processing, extend shelf-life, and maintain or increase the quality and safety of food. All these attributes enhance the shelf life of the food product.
*To give convenient handling throughout the production, storage and distribution system, including easy opening, dispensing and re-sealing, and being suitable for easy disposal, recycling or re-use.
*To enable the consumer to identify the food, and give instructions so that the food is stored and used correctly. The package can be designed to enhance the product image and/or to differentiate the product from the competition.
*The packaging design should consider the factors such as: self-dimensions, rate of sale, type of automated warehouse system, distance traveled, pallet type, weight, height, material, and signage
Features of good food packaging
