2A+danny

__**Packaging materials**__

My assignment was to investigate certain packaging materials. the main packaging materials is glass, aluminium and plastic. If you click on this website below, you will see the basic packaging materials and a basic description Packing materials The main purpose of food packaging is to perserve it. To be able able to perserve it, it needs to stop air and moisture from getting to it. But it also needs to be a suitable material for the food or liquid in it. For example just imagine the chips you buy from the shops came in a aluminium container. We also need to make sure that products that are often used arent made out of something that breaks when dropping.

Certain materials have disadvantages, the biggest disadvantage is the toxins it releases.

=__Plastics__=

The first time plastics were made synthetically was in 1869. It was made from cellulose nitrate mixed with camphor. But these materials have some toxins in them. Lets take a look at plastic water bottles and why they are bad. media type="youtube" key="BvzTr1VOK90" height="315" width="420" Some toxins that are released from Plastics are: > ]] So the advantages of plastic: the disadvantages of plastic:
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 * Easy to carry
 * Doesn't break easily
 * Easy to reuse
 * Light
 * durable
 * recycleble
 * cheap
 * the toxins are soluble
 * never biodegradable

=__Aluminium__=

This packaging material is often used for canned food. So this means its very good at blocking of moisture and air meaning it will perserve the food very well.



Advantages:
 * preserves food well
 * very strong
 * 100% recyclable
 * light
 * doesn't carry toxins

Disadvantages:
 * toxic to the environment
 * expensive to make
 * never biodegradable

=__Glass__=

Glass is one of the least used packaging types mainly because it is so heavy and because it is easily broken. Glass used to be used as a main packaging, for example milk used to come in glass but has been replaced by plastic.

Advantages
 * Odorless
 * Re-usable
 * Excellent clarity
 * Suitable for use in microwave
 * Impermeable
 * Preserves food taste
 * 100% recyclable
 * non toxic

Disadvantages
 * Expensive food packaging
 * Weakness in glass containers

Reference: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/which-plastics-are-safe.html http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_using_glass http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_of_aluminium http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080306162933AAkKG5D