Page 85 - FoodFocusThailand No.162 September 2019

STRENGTHEN THE PACKAGING

good hardness, but the cost tin free plate will be relatively cheaper. (Hotchkiss 1977). For volatile substances, it affects the smell and taste
Tin free plate often uses for cans, cans cap, and drums. of food, while non-volatile substance such as fats and pigments will
Paper - Paper and cardboard are materials that are produced affect the packaging. (Tehrany and Desobery 2004)
from cellulose fibers derived from wood using sulfate and sulfite. Then 2. The type of food - Dried food, light sensitivity, liquid food, high
the fibers will be made pulped/ or bleached and treated with chemicals fat food, high acidity, special shape or characteristics of food may be
such as surfactants and strengthening substances. Paper and damaged when packed with certain materials such as pin hole of
cardboard are used to produce milk carton, corrugated boxes, tissue aluminum foil. Some foods require to maintain its flavor. If the material
paper, paper bags, paper cups and etc. Plain paper is not used to is not suitable, it may affect the taste or color of the food, such as coated
store food for a long time because it has poor protective (barrier) or uncoated cans and lacquers.
properties, and does not have heat seal ability. When using paper 3. Temperature - Is an important part in choosing packaging, both
packaging that directly touches food, the paper needs to be laminated in the process of food production, storage, packing or heating (with
or coated with materials such as wax, plastic, resin or lacquers to microwave). Some materials have usage limitations under different
improve the paper properties to be more suitable. Therefore, the temperatures, such as PS material not suitable for containing hot product,
materials used for coating or laminating must be qualified for food PET bottles are not hot-filled, some materials can enter the microwave
grade for ensuring the food safety. such as PP tray. Frozen storage must ensure that the packaging can

Essential Factors for Choosing Food Grade Packaging be made at low temperatures (-18 degrees celsius). In order to ensure
the packaging is remain safe, it is necessary to choose the packaging
1. The type of material used to make the packaging - In that appropriate to temperature as well.
appropriate type may result in negative result or unsafe food, and 4. Shelf life - Storage conditions, the acidity in the food, the a value
cannot extend the shelf life as desired. It may cause contamination in the food. The same type of food if packed in different kind of packaging
w
both from outside and inside of the packaging, such as chemical with different protection properties will cause differ shelf life. For
contamination spread from packaging to food or food corrosion, or examples, foods that are rancid risk should choose packaging with
deformation. In general, the reaction between food and packaging having good permeability protection (OTR). For foods that require
involves the movement of substances with low molecular weight, such crispness, they must choose packaging that has low vapor permeability
as gas or vapor and water from food through packaging, environment (WTR), but some products require permeability of gas or air such as
through packaging, food into packaging, or packaging into food (IFT fresh fruit so that we may have to choose a package that has the
1988). In addition, it may include chemical changes in food or permeability of air or gas property.
packaging or both. These reactions result in food contamination. 5. Reuse of packaging - Some packages are designed for single
(possibly health problems) loss of packaging integrity (potential use, such as PET bottles, so it is not suitable for reusing. Whereas,
problems with safety) or reduced of food quality, movement of low some packaging can be reused through proper cleaning, such as glass
molecular substances such as stabilizers, plasticizer, antioxidant, bottles, ice cream trays, which is suitable for reusing in a short period
monomer and oligomer from plastic packaging materials to food. of time. Therefore, in order to prevent danger or unsafety of food, the
(Arvanitoyannis and Bosnea 2004). In addition, low molecular weight number of reusing must be considered. After being washed by heat or
compounds (volatile substances and non-volatile substances) may through various cleaning chemical substances.
be transferred from food to packaging through the sorption mechanism

SEP 2019 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 85