2A+Tori

Investigation:- Materials used for food packaging **Food Preparations:-**

**Food Protection:-** Protection/transportation/handling/distribution/primary & secondary packaging
 * **Product Protection:-**

The industry for packaging food items are always evolving and are seeking new innovative ways to ensure the product goes from one place to the other in the same condition it was in when it left the faculty - Fresh and intact. To protect the product throughout the journey requires a precise and thorough consideration of the primary packaging material(s) used for each product. This consideration requires the knowledge of if the materials used to package the individual item, saleable unit or the consideration of secondary packaging materials. These materials are typically in a corrugated box or pallet wrap. This is used to bundle several individual products for shipment &/or displays.

Food & beverage products need very specific requirements that need to be met in the package design and development process. The common packing solutions are to include such materials as glass, both rigid and flexible plastic, aluminium, cardboard and in some cases a combination of these materials. There are preference for each specific food applications however there can be an overlap between them such as the following:
 * A bag in a box packaging applications are used for cereal
 * Aluminium is suited for cans of soda and to give food containers a premium look and feel.

**Product Safety: - Food recalls/ hazards/ traceability**

Food Contamination can happen at any point in time throughout the process of it getting from faculty to consumer. There are several processes of packaging and technologies designed to increase health and safety food measurements. While using the food grade materials is a must, there are still a lot of hazards that can occur at the packaging stage. For example inks and coatings used on packaging can migrate into the actual food & beverage products.

For consumer protection, laws and regulations require certain information to be included on a food and beverage packaging item such as : an ingredient list, possible effects of consumption or use, the batch ID and date of manufacture so the products traceability is there and if it needs to be discarded at expiration date.

**Product Freshness- Appearance/ taste/ freshness/qu** **ality:-**

Regardless of how the food and beverage's ingredients or recipe is. If it isn't fresh it is no good. The packaged goods take time to get from A to B this may take from a day to a year. The date used on packaging is usually the sell by date. However, because it is kept within the consumer's home for a period of time before consumption, it is very important that the packaging helps maintain the freshness beyond the sell by date.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">There are tested and new packaging technology advancements allowing for food manufacturers to extend a product's shelf life and better control product freshness including:


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Materials- ** Flexible packaging such as flow wrapped candy bars will have a much longer shelf life than foil and paper packaged ones.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Film Barriers- ** Inflexible packaging, there are different barrier properties for air, moisture and flavour. Coatings can be added to extend and change the product's shelf life and enhance freshness. Some foods and beverages require a barrier E.g. meat products; they require breath ability in their product packaging.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Resealable packaging- ** Typic <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">ally in the form of a zipper, lid or label closure. Resealable packaging helps maintain product freshness by preventing and limiting the air around the product, this adds convenience for the consumer. Resealable packaging is a great option for products meant to be consumed over multiple times e.g. grapes.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Food Preparations**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Butylated hydroxytoluene à BHT **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Butylated hydroxyanisole à BHA **


 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BHA & BHT are phenolic compounds that are added to foods quite often to preserve the fats that are contained in the food products

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**What do BHA & BHT do?**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**BHA:-**
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BHA is a mixture of the isomers 3-//tert//-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 2-//tert//-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. Also known as BOA, //tert//-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, (1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methoxyphenol, //tert//-butyl-4-methoxyphenol, antioxyneB, and under various trade names.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The molecular formula is C11H16O2
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is of white or yellowish waxy solid
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has a faint characteristic aromatic odor

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** BHT:- ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** How do they preserve foods? ** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BHA & BHT are antioxidants. Oxygen reacts with BHT & BHA as they are the preference out of the other food packaging chemicals. They are also most common to preserve the fats in food. They are the most preferable because they protect the fats and the oils within the food by forming a protective layer over the food.Therefore the oxygen, oxidizes the BHA & BHT rather than spoiling the food products; preserving them.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Also known as 3,5-di-//tert//-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene; methyl-di-//tert//-butylphenol; 2,6-di-//tert//-butyl-//para//-cresol
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The molecular formula is C15H24O
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Its appearance is in the form of a white powder
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Both of them are incompatible with ferric salts.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What foods contain BHA & BHT? **

BHA has generally used to keep fats becoming rancid. It has also been used as a yeast de-foaming agent BHT also prevents oxidative rancidity of fats. It is used to preserve food odour, colour & flavour. It is added directly to shortening, cereals, and other foods containing fats & oils.


 * Is BHA & BHT safe?**

Both BHA & BHT have undergone the additive application & review process required. However the same chemical properties which make BHA & BHT great preservers also implicate in health effects. The oxidative characteristics &/ or metabolites of BHA & BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity; however the same reactions may combat. There is evidence that it effects people's metabolisation, causing create difficulty. It has also been observed that it results in health & behaviour changes, they also may have antiviral & antimicrobial activities.


 * Packaging Materials**

There are a range of many packaging materials. Each has it's advantages & disadvantages. Here are some of the following packaging materials commonly used:


 * Metals**

Metals provide excellent protection to foods, this is because no moisture or gas transmission can take place. Metals are:
 * inexpensive
 * non-toxic
 * strong
 * & are coated or plated so that they won't react with the food

Cans are the primary type of food packaging produced from metals. The main metals used to make cans are steel & aluminium. Steel can't be placed in direct contact with food or it will rust. As a result, steel must be coated with tin, chromium or various polymers for acidic foods. Aluminium won't corrode when it's exposed to food, however it is sensitive to chloride ions and acid in foods.
 * Glass**

One main benefit of using glass over other types of food packaging is that it is non-reactive with virtually all foods. It contains the product totally & because it is impervious to moisture gases. Like metal, glass allows you to cook the food inside the container. Since it is transparent the consumer can see the contents within the glass, making it more appealing to them.

Glass isn't just recyclable, but it is reused often by food processors.

The drawback of glass as a food packaging material is that it is extremely fragile & heavy. It also costs moreif it is distributed. The standard glass for food packaging is soda-lime glass. It can be formed into unique shapes & sizes. The appearance can also be coloured for attractive purposes & also for unwanted changes in the product within.




 * Paper**

Food packages made from paper can be formed into simple &/or elaborate designs, because it is so flexible & easy to work with. Other benefits to using paper include: Paper isn't impervious to water, so it's structural integrity is limited. That is, when paper gets wet, it becomes weaker. Therefore it is restricted to certain applications when used alone. To overcome this problem, paper is often coated with polymers &/or lined with foils.
 * Light weight;
 * generally inexpensive
 * Excellent surface for printing

Types of paper packaging include:
 * bags & pouches
 * folding cartons
 * & corrugated boxes
 * Plastic**

Plastics are ideal for food packaging because they are: Plastics can be produced easily in complex shapes, & they also possess a wide range of colours, or remain transparent. The drawbacks to using them for food packaging are: Plastics don't have the excellent barrier properties as glass & metals, so they allow gases to pass in & out of the package. They differ in how effective they are as barriers to the various important gases-oxygen, carbon dioxide & water vapour. Selecting the right plastic packaging requires knowledge of the products sensitivity & the loss or absorption of these gases.
 * resistant to breakage
 * relatively inexpensive
 * corrosion resistant
 * lightweight
 * Waterproof
 * They can bend, crush &/or crack easily
 * Some possess little heat resistance
 * They pick up dust easily
 * & Some of the more complex laminates can be very expensive


 * Types of plastic**

Plastics are often classified into two categories 1: thermoplastics 2: thermo set plastics


 * Thermoplastics: These can be reformed into a desired shape after being melted. This is commonly used to produce plastic bags, pouches, bottles, trays & cups.
 * Thermo set plastics: A thermo set plastic is very strong once formed, it will decomposed before melting( it won't reform). This type of plastic is commonly used for bottle caps & can coatings.
 * Laminates**

Laminates combine the advantages of several materials into one: e.g. one film may consist of paper, metal (foil) & plastic. In this case, paper is used for the low cost & strength ( even if it is limited), metal is added to prevent gas &/or light penetration & plastic because of its low cost is incorporated so the film can be heat-sealed. Laminates can often be more costly than other packaging alternatives, such as metal cans or plastics.

Thanks to all these wonderful websites for helping me achieve completing this assignment: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">**[]**

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