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Food Packaging, its Functions and Food Packaging Tips

September 23 2010- Innovations, trends and need has made drastic changes in the food packaging designs, which is mostly consumer driven. Apart from look the purpose of the food packaging is also to keep the food fresh, safe and attractive so a packaging has to be looked from many different angles. Moreover this packaging should also be convenient. There are varied kinds of food packaging used to pack varied food. Like plastic trays are used to store and transport fishes, cans for soups and liquids, flexible packaging for bagged salad, cartons for eggs, bags for chips etc.

Any kind of packaging today is the heart of marketing strategy as it increases the shelf value and convenience of using and handling it. With the changing lifestyle there is now considered more need of packed processed food.

Suppliers while thinking for food packaging designs have to consider many elements of design, how to make it more attractive and at the same time it should protect the food from changing environment and temperature. But above all it is the protection of the food and how it can kept fresh is utmost important.

Food packaging industry is ever expanding industry as its demand is mounting day by day across the world. It has 10-15% of annual growth and $100 billion industry. So the food you buy has the 50% cost of packaging in it.

Function of Food Packaging

1. Food packaging protects the food it contains. It should protect food from shock, compression, vibration and temperature.
2. It should be convenient to handle, display, sale, use and reuse.
3. Food packaging should display as much information about the food as possible.
4. It should act as a barrier to dust, water vapors, moisture, oxygen etc as these can harm the food item very quickly.

Types of Food Packaging

Owing to different kinds of food there are many types of food packaging. Moreover the market strategies should go with the government regulations. Cardboard, plastic and aluminum are the most common materials used for the food packaging. Plastic is used to pack frozen food, snacks, chips etc. Aluminium for the liquids like beverages, soft drinks, beer etc and cardboard packaging is used both for the frozen perishable food as well as dry food like cereals, rices and mixes etc. Glass is another material that is used to pack liquid and beverages. Advantage of glass packaging is that these can be recycled and reused without any adverse effect on material and food.

Food Packaging Designs

View Photo Gallery on Food Packaging Design

Food Packaging Tips

1. Any food packaging must contain the food in a way that i t does not leak.
2. Food packaging should be done in such a way that it does not cause any restraint while opening it. Any kind of packaging for food if done in a difficult way will cause the customer to avoid that in future. So it should be convenient to handle.
3. Biodegradable food packaging is also on rise. The requirement is because of ongoing deterioration of the environment. Plastic causes huge environmental pollution that is not caused by the biodegradable food packaging material.
4. Food packaging should be done as tightly as possible. Make it air-tight, water-tight and resistant to odours and steam.
5. It should be easy to identify food from packaging. Also it should contain the instructions on quality, storage condition and ingredients of food.