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FOOD PACKAGING
DR. AYESHA MURTAZA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
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COURSE CONTENTS
FS4562 Theory (Food Packaging) 2(2-0)

• Food packaging: introduction, needs, functions, suitability of packaging materials for the purpose,
Packaging types: primary, secondary, tertiary. Packaging materials (paper and paperboard, metal cans and
containers, glass, polymers and plastics, closures, flexible packaging laminates, corrugated fiberboard).
Properties of food packaging: physical, chemical. Packaging guidelines: retail containers, shipping
containers. Factors influencing design and selection of packaging materials: product, distribution, marketing,
packaging operation, cost. Refilling /recycling, disposal and environmental issues pertaining to food
packaging. Printing processes: inks, adhesives. Filling and labeling. Safety and legislation. Novel food
packaging techniques. Food labeling: importance, types, methods.
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COURSE CONTENTS
FS4561 Lab (Food Packaging) 1(0-1)
• Identification of packaging materials used for various food products. Testing procedures of packing
materials, requirements of packaging material for specific foods. Canning in metal containers. Can
testing. Determination of shelf-life in various packaging materials. Vapor permeability test.
Determination of film thickness. Visit to packaging industries.
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RECOMMENDED BOOKS
1. Ebnesajjad, S. 2013. Plastic films in food packaging: materials, technology and applications. The
Boulevard Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, UK.
2. EIRI (Engineers India Research Institute). 2007. Handbook of packaging technology. Engineers
India Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
3. Lee, D.S., Yam, K.M. and Piergiovanni, L. 2008. Food packaging science and technology. CRC
Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
4. Robertson, G.L. 2013. Food packaging: principles and practice. CRC Press Taylor & Francis,
London, UK.
5. Soroka, W. 2009. Fundamentals of packaging technology. Institute of Packaging Professionals,
USA.
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1. Packing
• Packing is a unit operation in which food is wrapped in a packaging.
2. Packaging
• Any material, whose purpose is the packing of food, is called packaging.

3. Objectives of Packing/Packaging
a. Packaging is used as a container. f. Use as preservation.
b. Protection from environmental factors e.g. light, air, g. Help in maintaining quality.
heat, temperature, pollution. h. Gives information about the product e.g. nutritional
c. Protect food physically e.g. from vibration, facts, define unit serving, labeling etc.
compression and shocks etc. i. Packagin~ also aims at reinforcing the name of brand,
d. Use for easy handling, stacking and transportation. as consumers are becoming brand sensitive
e. Help in storage. j. It also promotes sale and self-service marketing.
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PACKAGING
1. Packaging is an operation that ensures delivery of goods to the ultimate consumer in the best
condition intended for their use.
2. Packaging is function of enclosing products in containers to perform one or more of the functions
of containment, protection, preservation, communication, utility and performance.
3. Packaging is a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, distribution, retailing and end
use i.e. a means of ensuring delivery of product to the ultimate consumer in sound condition.
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PACKAGING CHAIN (DISTRIBUTION CHAIN)

• Food production
• Packaging operation (primary packaging, secondary packaging)
• Palletizing and warehousing
• Transportation for distribution and delivery to market (distributor → wholesaler→ retailer)
• Home or consumer
• Product use/consumption
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HAZARDS
Food during the time elapsed between production and ultimate consumption is exposed to various hazards
(agents or conditions) which make the food unavailable for consumption or significantly affect the quality of
food (by damage and any other harm).
• Type, factors and effects of hazard:
1.Physical hazard
•Operations: handling during warehousing, transportation, distribution
•Actions: stacking, loading and unloading in/from transport vehicles, carrying
•Factors and effects: dropping, tearing, crushing by rope by tying, compression, stack impact (force)
resulting in breakage, leakage, burst, bruising, distortion (deformation), crushing, spilling and ultimately loss
of food
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HAZARDS
2.Mechanical hazard
• Operations: handling during packing, warehousing, transportation, distribution
• Actions: stacking, lifting, loading, unloading, transportation
• Factors and effects: piercing, puncturing and tearing by hooks, straps, nails; dropping, bumping, bounching,
vibration (engine of truck, rail, aeroplane) and impact resulting in breakage, distortion, spilling and exposure to
adverse climate leading ultimately to loss of food.
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HAZARDS
3.Biological hazard
• Pests (rats, rodents, moths, etc.) and microorganisms (molds, etc.) are the causing factors
• Operations: handling during warehousing, transportation, distribution
• Effects: different types of spoilage, insect infestation and loss of food.
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HAZARDS
4.Climatic hazard
• Operations: handling during warehousing, transportation, distribution
• Factors: rain, sunlight, oxygen and other gases, high and low temperature, high and low humidity,
high and low pressure, chemical pollutants like sulphites, chlorides and acids
• Effects: extreme climatic conditions produce stress and results in stress crack and other kind of
damage

5.Miscellaneous hazards
• Caused by fire, floods, tampering, pilferage, foreign odours, corrosive chemicals, contamination by
other commodities stored together
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FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
1. Protection:
o One of the main objectives of the
packaging of food is to protect it against
spoilage or deterioration due to physical
damage, chemical changes or biological
damage.

2. Communication:
o Any special instructions or information.
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FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
3. Convenience:
o Ease of access, handling, and disposal;
product visibility; resealability.

4.Containment:
o Hold the contents and keep them secure
until they are used.
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FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
5.Traceability:
 Ability to track any food through all stages of production, processing and distribution.

6.Tamper indication:
 Food tampering is the intentional contamination of a food product, with intent to cause harm to the
consumer or to a private company
 There are several measures to detect tampering, including banding, special membranes, breakaway
closures, special printing on bottle liners or composite cans such as graphics or text that irreversibly
changes upon opening and special printing that cannot be easily duplicated.
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FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
7.Packaging as a Marketing Tool:

 Packaging is an important tool for advertisement.

 Packaging protects the interests of consumers.
 The information on the packaging includes quantity, price, additives, ingredients,
inventory levels, lot number, size and weight is very important for merchandising.
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FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
8.Socioeconomic Factors in Food Packaging:

 The use of food packaging is a socioeconomic indicator of increased spending

ability of the population, an increase in the gross domestic product or an
increase in food availability
 Packaging technology must balance food protection with other social and
environment issues, including energy and material costs, heightened social and
environmental consciousness, and strict regulations on pollutants and disposal
of municipal solid waste.
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TYPES OF PACKAGING
1. Primary package: It is in direct contact with the product. For example, a product in can (canned food).

2. Secondary package: It contains number of primary packages. For example, a fiber board box containing
several of cans.

3. Tertiary package: It is made up of number of secondary packages. For example, a stretch-wrapped pallet of
fiber board boxes of canned food.

4. Quaternary package: It is used to facilitate handling (during transportation, shipping) of tertiary packages.
For example, large container containing number of stretch-wrapped pallets of fiber board boxes of canned
food.
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DESIRABLE FEATURES OF PACKAGING
• Product-package compatibility: The package serves all necessary purposes, no undesirable changes
occur in food due to the reaction between the product and package
• Disposability and environment-friendly: Reuse and recycle as much as possible
• Machinability: Good performance in filling and closing in high speed machines
• Convenience to use in terms of opening, dispensing and re-closing
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PACKAGING DESIGN
• Designing of successful packaging requires following prerequisite knowledge and must be
considered:

1. Product assessment

• Nature and characteristics (solid, liquid, paste, crystal, powder etc.), chemical composition, size,
shape, weight and density of product

• Nature and extent of deterioration (physical breakdown, seepage, sensitivity to sunlight, moisture,
high and low temperature, oxygen, insect infestation etc.)
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PACKAGING DESIGN
2. Hazards of distribution

• Method (road, rail, sea, air) and duration of transport

• Type and intensity of hazard during distribution

• Kind of impact on product and package (compression, drop, vibration, puncturing etc.)
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PACKAGING DESIGN
3. Marketing requirement

• Product size, quantity per package, weight and shape for sale

• Package for enhancing product image (self advertisement)

• Convenience of carrying, opening, dispensing, storing etc.

• Price
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PACKAGING DESIGN
4. Selection of packaging materials and machinery considerations
• Properties of packaging materials (barrier properties, strength properties, machinability, product
and package compatibility)

• Product characteristics

• Market requirement and economic considerations

• Suitability of machinery to handle the packaging materials

• Efficiency of packaging line to cope with the designated size and shape of package

• Efficiency of printing process

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PACKAGING MATERIALS

• The major categories of materials used for food packaging are glass, metals, paper and
paperboard, and plastics.

• There are many multilayered packaging materials containing either layers of

different plastics or combinations of plastics with paper/board, metal or glass.

• In many cases, a packaging material with two layers is chosen.