Packaging is an essential operation in the food industry which uses a variety of solutions to carry out cartooning, shrink wrapping, pelleting, capping, labelling, etc. The good news about these packaging solutions is that a number of automated machines are now available to perform most of these functions.
The need for packaging in the food industry is crucial for more reasons than one. The foremost reason why food packaging is done is to ensure consumers’ safety. There are many food safety guidelines and laws that have been put down to ensure safe delivery of food. Food may be exposed to external conditions at various points before reaching the hands of a consumer, and there is a possibility or chance of contamination at each one of these points. Food packaging is the perfect solution to address the safety requirement by creating a barrier between the product and any possible source of contamination.
Another reason for which the food industry needs packaging solutions is to prevent the spoilage of food. Many food items are perishable in nature and some of these need to be transported to a long-distance destination. Delivering such items to consumers would be impossible without the guarantee of safe packaging. The food industry has appropriately designed packaging material for each type of product, based upon certain requirements . Some of these materials even provide certain atmospheric parameters that keep the food fresh.
Last but not the least, food packaging, with its labelling, provides important information about its quality and safety. Food labelling matters the most to customers who pay attention to what they are consuming. Food labelling contains specific information about calories, ingredients, validity and allergy warnings, among several other details. Food companies are legally required to sell food with all the necessary information. Apart from that, food packaging attracts customers. Many consumers tend to buy food with the most appealing packaging, especially when they are buying a product for the first time. So, packaging in the food industry cannot be neglected. It is due to all these reasons that the food industry needs appropriate packaging solutions, which can help companies pack food in the most efficient and safe manner, before delivering it to the customers without any