Vacuum Packaging – Prevent Food Waste

Food is a precious commodity. Vacuum packaging is one of the best ways to store food, and it offers many benefits.

One-third of all food produced in the world is wasted. What you may not know is that food packaging can play an important role in mitigating the environmental impact of the food industry.

The role of packaging in the food industry is key and has the potential to minimize food waste and maximize efficiency.

Don’t waste

In the rich world, waste takes on a very different form. Most of the food we see on the shelves never goes out of the supermarket and is thrown away when it gets old. If not, the rest of the food waste goes to consumers who throw away old food.

Packaging Paradox

If we generally associate packaging with environmental pollution either in the sense seen in the examples of plastic bags or bottles, or in the more implied emissions of CO² involved in the preparation of food packaging – we will certainly waste as much food as we can. The problem of contaminated packaging will only get worse. What do we have as an industry?

However, the paradox of packaging is that efficient and responsible use of packaging technology can significantly reduce the amount of food we waste.

Vacuum packaging that prevents oxidation ensures that the meat stays on the shelf for five to eight days, as compared to two to four days.

Consumers are also thought to be taking advantage of the time they spend refrigerating dairy and meat products.

Now our readers need to understand what is vacuum packaging?

What Is Vacuum Packaging?

Vacuum packaging is a type of modified environment packaging found all over the world. Vacuum packaging is a procedure in which air is completely removed from the inside of a package immediately before sealing the box.

Vacuum packaging was invented by a German inventor named Karl Busch in the 1950s. He used the discovery in vacuum packaging for meat products.

This procedure involves placing food products in a plastic film package (vacuum packaging bag), removing air from the parcel using a vacuum pump, and sealing the packet.

Today vacuum packaging is commonly used for long-term storage of dried foods such as grains, nuts, cheese, processed meats, and smoked fish.

It is also used for short-term storage of fresh foods including meat, vegetables, and liquids.

Why is the vacuum packaging market demand increasing?

The following factors are the main reasons for the increase in the market demand for vacuum packaging.

• High demand for hygienic packaging
• Consumers’ long shelf-life requirements
• Swing to handle easy and convenient packaging.
• Parental industry development

Which plastic material is best for vacuum packaging?

The vacuum packaging material market is divided based on the type of material and application.

Material based distribution

The materials chosen for vacuum packaging perform specific functions, including:

• Protection from germs
• Maintain the temperature of the packaged product, especially the food
• Provides aesthetic appeal in some cases.

Based on the material, vacuum packaging is divided into the following types.

• Polyethene (PE)
• Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
• Polyester (PET)
• Polyamide (PA)

These materials are selected based on the following features:

• Flexible
• Lightweight
• Mechanical strength
• Easy recycling
• Odourless and hygienic
• Oil and grease resistance
• Sealing ability
• Resistance to hot and cold temperature
• Good barrier properties against gases
• Low cost

Of the above materials, PET is in high demand for vacuum packaging in the food and beverage industry.

The material used for vacuum packaging must be strong enough to withstand the vacuum and flexible enough to surround food products.

The following is a list of vacuum packaging materials with their unique properties.

• PET material: excellent printing effect
• PA material: low oxygen permeability
• PE material: can touch the inner material and food directly.
• PA / PE material: It can withstand 120 ℃ high-temperature cooking.

Division Based On Application

Based on applications, the vacuum packaging material market is divided into:

• Food and beverage
• Pharmaceutical
• Industrial use
• Consumer use

Benefits of Vacuum Packaging

Vacuum packaging provides the following benefits:

• Significantly increase shelf life
• Obstruction from external elements
• Minimum need for chemical preservatives
• Quick and efficient
• The clear and visible outer packaging
• Reduce product loss
• Minimum front cost
• Affordable packaging option
• Best for freezer storage

Why Do Food Vacuum Packaging Bags Favour Nylon Composite Film?

The nylon composite membrane is made of nylon, ionic resin, polyethene, modified resin, special production technology, and blow mould by a co-extrusion unit.

Why do food vacuum packaging bags like nylon composite film? This is because nylon composite film as a packaging bag material has many advantages such as high tensile strength, good moisture resistance, low oxygen permeability, oil resistance, and high and low-temperature resistance.

Nylon vacuum bag is widely used, especially in the field of food packaging bags, then why are nylon vacuum bag in the food packaging industry? This is a feature of his own relationships.

Key Features of Nylon Vacuum Bag:

1. Nylon Vacuum Bag High Separation: Plastic packaging materials vary widely using different barrier properties, and co-extrusion film to reach odours such as oxygen, water, carbon dioxide, and blocking effect.
2. Nylon Vacuum Bag Capacity, Oil resistant, moisture resistant, 120-degree centigrade high-temperature cooking resistant, low-temperature freezing resistance, with good quality, fresh, smell, can be used in vacuum packaging, aseptic packaging, plastic packaging.
3. The cost of nylon vacuum packaging is relatively low: relative to glass packaging, aluminium foil bags, and other plastic packaging bags, to achieve the same barrier effect, co-extrusion film is very cost-effective. Due to its simple operation, the production cost of the thin film can be reduced by 10-20% compared to dry-type composite film and other composite films.
4. The flexibility of nylon vacuum packaging structural design: Adopt different structure designs, and meet customer demand for different food quality.
5. Nylon vacuum bag has the properties of tensile in high strength, co-extrusion film involved in the machining process, as well as plastic stretch after improving the strength, metallocene can also be added between polyethene plastic materials such as nylon, and so on. The strength of plastic packaging can give more than ordinary blends. There is no rating stripping tendency, good flexibility, and excellent heat-sealing performance.
6. Environmental protection nylon vacuum bag: do not add adhesives, no residue solvent contamination, and do not add green environmental protection.
7. Nylon vacuum packaging capacity is small: co-extrusion film can be used in vacuum shrinkable packaging, capacity volume ratio is close to 100%, it is glass, cans, paper, unmatched.
8. No pollution, no extra adhesives, no residual solvent pollution, and green environmental protection.

Ultimate verdict, Vacuum packaging will provide the best results if you use suitable materials for vacuum packaging. Vacuum packaging will be your ultimate partner in this regard.

You can use this packaging to store your food or other items longer. In this way, the process of innovation in modern packaging style can prevent food waste.