1. It is necessary to 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 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 very easy to emit, and the tea smell is lost. In addition, tea leaves are also very easy to absorb external odors), and a considerable part of the tea on the market is currently packaged in ordinary PE, PP and other transparent plastic bags, which greatly wastes the effective ingredients of tea , the quality of tea cannot be 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 protective requirements for packaging of raw meat, processed meat food, beverages, snacks, and baked goods are also very different. Therefore, the packaging should be scientifically designed according to the different properties of the food itself and the protective requirements of the water.
2. Select packaging materials with suitable protection function
Modern food packaging materials mainly include plastics, paper, composite materials (multi-layer composite materials such as plastic/plastic, plastic/paper, plastic/aluminum, foil/paper/plastic, etc.), glass bottles, metal cans Wait. We focus on composite materials and plastic-based packaging.
1) Composite materials
Composite materials are the most diverse and widely used flexible packaging materials. 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. For example, the shelf life of Tetra Pak packaged milk made of multi-layer materials such as plastic/cardboard/aluminum-plastic/plastic can be as long as half a year to a year. The shelf life of some high-barrier flexible packaged meat cans can be as long as 3 years, and the shelf life of composite packaged cakes in some developed countries can reach more than one year. After one year, the nutrition, color, aroma, taste, shape and microbial content of the cake still meet Require. When designing composite material packaging, special attention should be paid to the selection of substrates for each layer, the collocation must be scientific and reasonable, and the comprehensive performance of each layer combination must meet the overall requirements of food for packaging.
2) Plastic
There are as many as fifteen or six kinds of plastics used in food packaging in my country, 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.the use of 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 widely used in developed countries. 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. Selection of packaging machinery and equipment supporting 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.
5. Modeling and structural design should meet scientific requirements
The packaging design should meet the geometric requirements, and try to use the least packaging material to make a larger volume container, which can save packaging materials and meet environmental protection requirements. The structural design of the packaging container should meet the mechanical requirements, and the compressive strength, impact resistance, and drop resistance should meet the requirements of the storage, transportation and sales of the package. The shape design of the packaging container should be innovative. For example, using a pineapple-shaped container to pack pineapple juice and an apple-shaped container to pack apple juice and other lively packaging containers are worth promoting. Packaging containers should be easy to open or open repeatedly, and some require display opening or sealing.
6. Comply with the packaging regulations of my country and exporting countries
From beginning to end, every step of the packaging operation should select materials, seal, print, bundle and label according to packaging standards, regulations, and regulations. Standardization and standardization run through the entire packaging process, which is conducive to the supply of raw materials, commodity circulation and international trade, etc., packaging containers The recycling and disposal of waste packaging materials should meet environmental protection requirements.
7. Packaging inspection
Modern packaging is based on scientific analysis, calculation, reasonable material selection, design and decoration, through the use of advanced packaging technology and packaging machinery and equipment. As a qualified commodity, in addition to the product (food) should be tested, the packaging must also undergo various tests. Such as the air permeability, moisture permeability, oil resistance, moisture resistance of the packaging container, the interaction between the packaging container (material) and the food, the residual amount of the packaging material tissue in the food, the resistance of the packaging material to the packaged food, the packaging container Compressive strength, burst strength, impact strength, etc. There are many types of packaging tests, and the test items can be selected according to specific circumstances and regulatory requirements.
8. Packaging decoration design and packaging design brand awareness
The packaging and decoration design should conform to the hobbies and habits of consumers and consumers in exporting countries. The pattern design is best coordinated 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 role in widespread publicity. The packaging design of brand-name products should have brand awareness. Some product packaging can be easily replaced, which affects sales. For example, a certain brand of vinegar in China has a good reputation in Japan and Southeast Asia, but the sales volume after changing the packaging is greatly reduced. The packaging is suspect. Therefore, a product should be scientifically packaged and cannot be easily changed.
Post time: Jun-20-2022