Introduction –
Improvements and further enhancements in the food processing and packaging of the food plays an important role or you can say a main role in keeping the food supply in the USA, among the safest in the world. In other words, packaging of food in a proper material, maintains the advantages of the food processing after the method is completed, allowing the food to travel with complete safety for even long distances from their place of origin, till the time of consumption or sale of that food. Besides all of that, Stand Up Pouches are also one kind of food packaging material that is available. But there is also a packing technology which must work in balance or balance the food protection with other issues comprising of energy and material costs, including increased consciousness about social and environmental regulations, and stringent regulations on the pollutants and MSW disposal, i.e., municipal solid waste.
Findings of the EPA –
MSW comprises of certain items that are mostly thrown away which includes food scraps, packages, yard trimmings, and items that are durable like that of computers and refrigerators. Regulatory and legislative efforts to handle the packaging are based on the wrong perception that packaging is a main burden of municipal solid waste. As per the findings of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), US, approximately around 31% of the municipal solid waste generated in the year 2005 was from packaging-connected materials – like – paper, plastic, metal, glass, paperboard – a percentage of it stayed constant since the 1990s even if the MSW increased in total amount. Besides all of these, food is the only type of product class which is taken 3 times every day by every person.
About Food Packaging –
Accordingly, food packaging accounts for around 2/3rd of total packaging waste by capacity (volume). Moreover, the food packaging is around 50% through weight of the total packaging sales. Since the publication of the first scientific status summary on the connection between packaging and MSW, the typical knowledge that is available has changed and the issue stays misunderstood, or poorly understood, which in turn is complicating the efforts to talk about the environmental impact of thrown packaging materials. Now, let’s look at the role of food packaging. The main role of the food packaging is to protect the products of the food items from outside influence and damage, to contain the food item and provide consumers with nutritional and ingredient data. Convenience, traceability and tamper indication are other secondary functions of increasing pivotality.
Goals of Food Packaging –
The objectives of food packaging are to give away food on a cost-efficacious manner that satisfies the industry needs and consumer needs and manages food safety and reduces environmental impacts. The importance of food packaging is protection and preservation. One of the things that you will know about food packaging is that, it can stop the food deterioration and keep the helpful effects of processing, maintain or increase the quality of food, expand the shelf- life, and increase the safety of the food. A good quality food packaging offers protection from 3 main classes of outside influence, physical, biological, and chemical. Compositional changes are minimised in chemical protection which is triggered by environmental influences like exposure to oxygen, gases, moisture loss or gain, lights and so on.
Distinct Packaging Materials –
Another thing, you ought to know is that different packaging materials can offer a chemical barrier – metals and glass provide absolute barrier to other environmental agents and chemical agents, but there are some packages that are completely of metal or glass, since closure materials are added to provide both emptying and filling. Some of the devices can contain materials which permit minimum levels of permeability. For instance, plastic caps comprise of some level of permeability to vapours and gases. Also, there is biological protection which gives a barrier to the microorganism, insects, other animals and rodents to not to enter and prevents diseases and spoilage.