Written by Flexible packaging has had a surge over the past couple of years because it is a type of packaging that enhances the shelf-life of food products and freshness. There are several key ways that flexible packaging achieves this:There are several key ways that flexible packaging achieves this:
1. Barrier Properties
It is, therefore, important to understand that flexible packaging enjoys a number of benefits over other formats such as steel cans and glass jars in that they offer excellent barrier properties. Flexible packaging employs unique plastic films and laminates that afford it barrier properties against such factors as oxygen, water vapor, light, and others.
For instance, the packaging material used in most bags that contain potato chips is composed of plastic films such as polyethylene, polypropylene and aluminum foil. This seals the food and prevents fresh air from getting to it because fresh air is made up of oxygen and moisture, both of which are enemies to food. This translates to longer chip crispness and freshness in terms of food preservation.
The barrier properties of the film can also be cutoff to the type of product that is to be protected from inside. For instance, microwaveable food pouches are generally characterized by good oxygen transmission rates but poor moisture vapor transmission rates, so that the food inside the pouch does not become wet when subjected to microwaving.
2. Light Protection
Flexibility of packaging also affords it the benefit of protecting goods against visible and ultraviolet light. Items such as milk, juices, and condiments are photosensitive, they would easily become bad when exposed to light.
Most of the flexible packaging structures use aluminum foil or metallized plastic films that have reflective characters. Some also use blockers of UV as additives to the plastic films to enhance its capability of protecting the items. This also helps retain nutrient value and flavors, and in a way, how long the products remain palatable.
3. Modified Atmosphere Packaging
A few of the flexible packaging employ a modulation of the atmosphere within the pouch or the bag to further protect the product. This is done by changing the proportion of the internal gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the best interest of the foods.
For instance, the MAP for fresh meats may include 80% oxygen and 20% carbon dioxide as the gaseous content of the packages. It helps prevent bacterial growth and oxidation reactions that make the meat turn brown and tough, thus preserve the red colour and tenderness for longer durations. In produce such as peppers and apples, reduction of oxygen in the bag decreases the respiration and thus reduces ripening as well as senescence.
The use of MAP extends the shelf life of the products to be stored by a great percentage as compared to air atmosphere storage. The flexible packaging films are also capable of holding the customized environment inside by having an efficient gas barrier up to the distribution and storage of the product.
4. Retort Pouches
Permeable to water and gases, the retort pouches expose the packaged foods to heat sterilization after being filled in order to provide shelf-stable foods. The versatile packaging technique allows the products such as seafood, pet food, convenience food, and baby foods to keep at room temperature for long periods without compromising on the quality.
The retort pouch films have excellent oxygen and moisture vapor transmission rates to avoid recontamination or spoilage once the pouch has been through heat treatment. The use of polypropylene layers, then aluminum foil, as well as polyester, makes them rigid enough for heat sterilization while at the same time remaining flexible for the consumer.
5. Intelligent Packaging
Some of the recent innovations in flexible packaging, use smart properties to inform consumers on the freshness of the packaged food. Examples include:
Freshness sensors – Internal sensors which are incorporated in smart materials, can identify gases that begin to be released from foods as they spoil. The sensors then give signals and they change color to give the message that the product is no longer fresh.
Time – temperature indicators – These are printed devices that help in determining the duration that the product has been at specific temperatures. They give signals to an individual about the suitability and freshness of the foods to be consumed.
RFID tags – These are devices that through radio signals, they are used to monitor storage conditions such as temperatures and can also maintain records using cloud computing. The data can be retrieved by the supply chain partners’ smartphones and allows examining the temperature record of the food and its freshness duration.
Intelligent packaging, for example, provides fresh information on the food products making it easy to control the inventory and reduce wastage. This flexible packaging is the most important aspect that allows for the smart functions.
In Summary
Stiffness and clarity and the nature of the medium employed in flexible packaging provides the following benefits with regard to the quality, safety and preservation of foodstuffs after production. This popular, portable type is offered in numerous high-barrier designs to shield the contents from external elements. Another two types of flexible film packaging are modified atmosphere packaging and retort pouches which also make use of gas mixtures and heat treatment for increased shelf life.
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