From protecting food to creating portion sizes and providing information about the product, food packaging serves many purposes.
Food packaging comes in a variety of types, which are not well known. There are nine types, which are described below.
Trays
Most of this is self-explanatory. Trays are used to transport meat, seeds, and drinks. Paperboard, for example, has raised edges to keep the product in place, and is primarily flat with raised edges.
Aseptic Processing
Foods that need to be kept sterile and are sterile are included in this category. The items include liquid eggs, milk and milk product drinks, as well as other processed foods that need to be preserved for longer periods of time. There is a layer of polyethylene inside aseptic packages, which are composed of a mixture of paper, polyethylene, and aluminum. In sterile pharmaceuticals, such as syringes and vials, plastic or glass packaging is most common.
Bags
As with trays, bags are commonly used to package food. Fruit (apples, potatoes) and bagged snacks (chips, pretzels) are the most common. When food is “bagged,” it is separated from the environment, namely the air.
Cans
Food can also be preserved and transported in cans. When food is canned in the home, it is usually stored in jars made of glass or steel.
Boxes
Food products are transported in boxes because they are the easiest form of transportation. Corrugated fiberboard, wood, and metal are the most common materials used for boxes. Foods packaged in boxes include frozen pizzas, cereals, and snack crackers.
Cartons
There is often no difference between boxes and cartons. Food cartons are also made of corrugated fiberboard and are used to transport food. There are four subcategories of food packaging cartons. Egg cartons are most well-known for adding protection to food products when they are transported, as they are molded to the shape of the egg. This category also includes aseptic cartons. A milk carton, a juice carton, or a soup carton are examples of this. Folding cartons, which begin as flat pieces of corrugated fiberboard, are another type of carton. Finally, there are gable tops. In order to open these cartons, the gables at the top need to be pinched and then pulled.
Pallets
A pallet is used for mass transportation of a product. Stacks of boxes of the product are placed on the pallet, then wrapped to prevent food movement.
Flexible Packaging
In a similar way to bags, flexible packaging protects food from the environment while allowing it to be transported in an adequate manner. Flexible packaging is common for foods like bagged salad.
Wrappers
Wrappers protect food from the environment or from a person’s hands when used for individual items. In most cases, candy bars come to mind.
The cost of food packaging machines
Here, we will review one device from each level of food packaging machines we currently offer. Depending on the amount of food you will be packaging, we will provide you with the expected monthly volume of each machine. Furthermore, we will provide examples of how each machine can be used.
Each section will include a price and a ballpark range for each tier of machinery. You can contact one of our packaging experts if you don’t see a model that fits your needs in the following section.
Assisting you in choosing the right food packaging machine based on your budget, financing capabilities, daily volume of packages, etc.