27 November 2023
Switching to more planet-friendly packaging is a priority for the food industry. Regulatory pressure to make this transition is also mounting. Moving to sustainable packaging is no longer simply a ‘nice to have’; failure to comply with evolving legislation can now result in fines, additional taxes and even exclusion from major international markets. Few parts of the world are immune and even they may soon follow suit. However, these new materials need to do more than simply support green pledges. They must also meet a long list of practical requirements.
From product safety, integrity and shelf life to durability and recyclability, you need to know your chosen packaging option is fully fit for purpose. The only way to be certain is to carry out a tailored testing strategy designed to evaluate the key properties and attributes that contribute to its performance.
While there’s no-one-size fits all approach - each type of packaging material and product contained within will require a different suite of testing techniques, which means understanding the value and relevance of different analytical methods is essential.
Demonstrating that the chosen packaging material is safe to use as a Food Contact Material (FCM) is essential - both to safeguard consumers and meet strict regulatory guidelines. This involves carrying out detailed analysis to test for the presence and migration of substances potentially hazardous to health.
This generally means demonstrating that they don’t transfer into - or onto - the food and accumulate at levels considered toxic. Plus, new FCM now also require a certain level of surveillance to ensure they remain chemically save even after certification, particularly those made from recycled materials.
It’s also worth noting that although chemical testing is mandated, other substances used in packaging materials are not yet subject to the same rules - but still demand attention: These include:
Testing the physical and mechanical properties of a new packaging material will answer important questions about its performance during handling, transit and storage. Given that even the smallest of holes can result in microbial spoilage, you need to be confident that it will maintain product integrity right up to the point of consumption.
So rather than relying on visual inspection systems, which can overlook tiny defects that are too small to see but large enough to cause problems, specific analytical techniques offer an added layer of security.
And there are commercial advantages too. Measuring frictional characteristics between the packaging material and any surface it’s likely to come into contact with (including its own), for instance, has important implications for filling speed and machine wear. While analysing the strength of packaging seals under different conditions can help you optimise the production line and potentially avoid costly downtime due to packaging failure.
You can even use this analytical data to inform computer-based modelling systems to reliably predict how different prototypes will behave in real life – before committing to one solution.
Of course, the consumer will be the ultimate judge. So it’s well worth using wider mechanical techniques to investigate the user experience, such as how easy packaging is to open, reseal and empty. After all, less waste means greater sustainably gains.
Using less material is not only good for the planet and cost effective, some regulations now also require packaging avoids unnecessary empty space so that it avoids giving the impression that it contains more product than it actually does. This can be assessed by measuring the ratio of the volume of the contents to the internal volume of the contents. While this can be straightforward for simple shapes, more complex designs and pack geometries will require more sophisticated metrology techniques.
The material you choose for primary packaging acts as a barrier against oxygen, water vapour and other volatiles that can damage product quality. So the rate and impact of these transmissions needs to be measured.
As a minimum, shelf-life testing should determine the number of viable microorganisms present (known as bioburden), as well as the sensory attributes considered critical to consumer perception of quality.
By repeating these measurements at regular intervals and cross referencing with wider packaging data, it’s possible to track and explain unwanted changes in product quality.
It’s also important that these studies reflect relevant storage conditions. It’s not unusual for a global product to be subject to extreme aridity, high humidity and temperatures ranging from 40◦C to below zero. While this is rarely a problem for traditional thermoplastics, when it comes to card, paper and the new generation of biopolymers it’s a completely different story. These materials, like many food stuffs, are highly influenced by different storage conditions so need to be thoroughly evaluated.
This is also the time to identify and avoid two potentially damaging wider issues. Over packaging, where excessive amounts of packaging material are used to achieve unnecessarily high barrier properties. And under packaging that’s so ineffective the product it’s supposed to protect spoils before the end of shelf life.
Of course, one of the biggest questions is how will your packaging impact the environment once it has served its purpose? With consumer concern accelerating and the regulatory landscape fragmented, analytical data can provide valuable information on a range of issues to support your sustainability journey.
Could your packaging could use a safety or sustainability upgrade? If so our expert team can help you make an informed decision about your next packaging solution. For advice now click through or fill out the form below.
