Packtech
Introduction
Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or
protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use
Packtech includes all textile packing material for industrial,
agricultural, foods and other goods.
It refers to the process of design, evaluation and production of
packages.
TYPES 0f PACKAGING
1) Consumer packaging :-
- Design for consumer
- Main emphases is on marketing
2) Industrial Packaging :-
- Handling convenience & Protection
- Main emphases is on logistics
FOOD PACKAGING
Why package food
Packaging serves the following functions:
Contents – enabling the food to be presented in a fixed measure by
weight or volume of contents.
Protection – against chemical and physical damage.
Barrier – against transfer of oxygen, moisture, chemical compounds,
and microorganisms that are detrimental to quality of food.
Convenience – provides convenience in using the product. Also
furnishes consumer convenience about microwave use, ease of
opening, and reusability.
FOOD PACKAGING
Product information – conveys product information to the consumer,
including description of food contents, weight/volume ratio,
manufacturer’s name, directions for use, sell-by date, and nutritional
content.
Marketing – serves as effective marketing tool for promoting product
identification and sales
Processing requirement – certain food processing operations demand
specific product packaging to facilitate the processing (e.g. canning)
Dispensing – certain packages facilitate dispensing of product (e.g.
salt, or soft drinks)
Choosing a Packaging Material
Mechanical properties
The packaging material must be strong enough to prevent physical
damage to the food (e.g. bruising of fruits and vegetables and
breakage of biscuits) and to other packaging materials (e.g. glass
bottles in fiberboard containers).
Physical properties
The packaging material must be able to protect the final physical
nature of the food after processing as well as protect the
environment around the food.
To do this, the material must be able to control the movement of
water, water vapor, oils and gases.
It must also protect against UV-light and heat gains and losses
where necessary.
Choosing a Packaging Material
Chemical and biochemical properties
The package material must offer protection against chemical and
biochemical spoilage by maintaining an environment around the
food that reduces or prevents deteriorative chemical and
biochemical spoilage reactions.
Products of chemical deterioration must also not migrate into the
food in any large quantities (e.g. corrosion of tin cans).
Microbiological aspects
The packaging material must be able to protect the food and
prevent contamination from external sources.
The package environment should be able to slow or prevent the
growth of undesirable micro organisms in or on the food by use of
anaerobic conditions or inert gas atmosphere.
Choosing a Packaging Material
Insect and rodent infestation
The package material must protect against insect and rodent
infestation, particularly in bulk storage, in open warehouses, or
where consumer storage conditions are likely to be inadequate.
Paper may not be suitable here but laminates can provide the
necessary protection.
Availability & cost
The package material must be easily available at a reasonable cost.
Plastic Packages - Options
The important plastics, which find large packaging applications are
HDPE, PP, PVC, Polyester, Polystyrene, etc.
These are used for building the body structure of the packages,
while other polymers are often used, in less thickness, as coating to
improve the functional properties of basic packaging
Applications – Woven Sacks
Polyolefin is a collective term for polyethylene and polypropylene, the
2 most widely used plastics in food packaging
Polyethylene and polypropylene both possess a successful
combination of properties, including
Flexibility
Strength
Lightness
Stability
Moisture barrier
Chemical resistance
Easy Process ability
Well suited for recycling and reuse
Market for Woven Sacks
Cement industry - 31%
Fertilizer - 18%
Food product - 17%
Petrochemicals - 11%
Exports - 11%
Other application - 12%
The market size of the product in 2001-02was 4.5lakh
MT valued at Rs. 2925 crore. import & export was 18.1
MT & 1535 MT respectively.
Flexible intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC)
It is popularly known as jumbo bags
Belongs to the family of HDPE/PP
They are made from PP (UV stabilized )
circular woven fabric in coated/uncoated
form with or without liner HDPE/PP 50kg
packing
Jumbo bags 750, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, &
4ooo kgs.
The weight of fabric could very from 180,
200,240,to 275 gsm.
Used for bulk packing of chemicals
detergents food products fertilizers plastics &
resins, cement, minerals, petrochemicals ect.
Advantages
No wastage in material handling (supplier & consumer)
Flexible, collapsible & durable
Light weight
Reusable
Require less space for storage
Protects from moisture & water
Resistant to chemical & microbial attack
Withstand up to 100°C
Pollution free
STYRENE POLYMERS - POLYSTYRENE
Polystyrene, an addition polymer of styrene, is clear, hard, and
brittle with a relatively low melting point
It can be mono-extruded, co-extruded with other plastics, injection
molded, or foamed to produce a range of products
Foaming produces an opaque, rigid, lightweight material with
impact protection and thermal insulation properties
This is a clear thermoplastic material with a high tensile strength
but a poor barrier to moisture vapour and gases
Polystyrene alone is brittle, but it can be blended (sytrene-
butadiene or styrene polybutadiene) to get required properties
STYRENE POLYMERS - POLYSTYRENE
Typical applications include protective
packaging such as egg cartons, containers,
disposable plastic silverware, lids, cups, plates,
bottles, and food trays
In expanded form, polystyrene is used for
nonfood packaging and cushioning, and it can
be recycled or incinerated
High-impact Polystyrene:
This is an opaque, thermoform able, moderately
low gas-barrier material and is used as a
component of a laminate or co-extrusion.
TETRAPACKS
COMPOSITION OF TETRA PAK ASEPTIC CARTONS
COMPOSITION OF TETRA PAK ASEPTIC CARTONS
Combining each of these three materials has enabled Tetra Pak to
produce a packaging material with optimal properties and excellent
performance characteristics.
Higher degree of safety, hygiene and nutrient retention in food.
Preserving taste and freshness.
Can be kept for months with no need for refrigeration or
preservatives.
OTHER APPLICATIONS
Luggage industry consists of
hard and soft luggage.
Hard ones are made from
plastic mouldings and has
large size.
Soft ones made out of woven
fabrics made from nylon and
polyester.
APPLICATIONS
SOFT LUGGAGE
Made from woven fabrics (nylon and PET).
Consists of totes, duffle bags, Sky bags with
wheels and handles.
Due to lightness and flexibility these are more
convenient and popular.
PET is preferred over nylon due to its cost
effectiveness.
But nylon ones are more durable and abrasion
resistant.
APPLICATIONS
FOOD GRADE JUTE BAGS
Properties like condensation absorption and anti
slippage
Protects from microbes and keeps the content
fresh and durable.
Presently confined to packing of coffee cocoa
beans, edible nuts, food grains, potatoes, pulses,
etc.
APPLICATIONS
JUTE SACK
Traditionally jute has been the most imp packaging material for
agricultural commodities cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits,
vegetables, etc.
Has advantage of air and vapor movement between packed
commodities and surrounding.
Hygroscopic nature of fibers prevents condensation thus
minimizing problems in storage and transportation.
It does not need cover of protective additives like polypropylene.
LAUNDRY BAGS
TEA and COFFEE BAGS
Tea bag filter paper is made with a blend of wood and
vegetable fibers.
The vegetable fiber is bleached pulp abaca hemp, a small
plantation tree grown for the fiber, mostly in the
Philippines and Colombia.
Heat-sealed tea bag paper usually has a heat-sealable
thermoplastic such as PVC or polypropylene, as a
component fiber (100% non-woven technical textile) on
inner side of the teabag surface.
The filter paper used for making tea-bags is a 12-17 GSM
non woven material.
The heat-sealing type tea- bag paper is of 16.5 to 17 GSM
approximately while the non-heat sealed tea-bag paper is
around 12 – 13 GSM.
CONCLUSION
Packaging technology has helped improve the shelf life of the
products, ease of transport and safety with regards to toxic
materials
The future of packaging lies in improved cost effectiveness,
durability, strength, etc.
In coming years it will surely change the face of packaging textiles.