Food Packaging

What is food packaging?

It protects food products from outside influences

and damage, to contain the food, and to provide consumers

with ingredient and nutritional information

History

•  From way back, people used animal skins, shells, and leaves

•  Ceramics and baskets just came about 6000 BC

•  In 1500 BC, Egypt, glass was first used

•  Then the appearance of the barrel in Gaul.

•  1746 – the first product package

•  Antipyretic powder

•  Raw materials were used from then on: wood, cork, clay, fibers like flax, hemp, willow

•  Then the evolution of the processed ones: glass, metals, paper

•  20th century - widespread use of plastic

History

Origins of Packaging

Packaging was important in the transport of basic goods during the preindustrial society

•  19th century – bulk selling of goods

Cereals in bags, flour in bags, tea in wooden boxes, tea in tinplate canisters, oils in jars, salted goods in jars, meat, pickled vegetables

•  One of the initial packaging innovations because of its availability and reusability

•  Natural materials like cellulose fiber and starch are easily renewable

•  Board production is from 90% recycling

•  Light, healthy, durable, ergonomic, and protective

Role of Cardboard and

Paper

Origins of Packaging:

Canning

•  1811, Bryan Donkin, an associate of John Hall’s at his Dartford Iron Works idea to use tougher iron containers instead of glass which was fragile

•  To prevent rusting, thin plating of tin was used

•  The “tin can” invention had the Royal Navy as the first buyers

•  Used in medical stores and supply expeditions

•  Meat - one of the first products in can

•  Reynolds and Alcoa: first ones to succeed in creating all – aluminium cans out of one piece of metal

Origins of Packaging:

Glass

•  Fragile and a little bit more expensive - glass has some advantages over cans

•  Iron, tin, and lead in cans can sometimes come in contact with the food

•  Michael J. Owen - invented an automated way of making glass packages

•  Closing glass bottles were used with a cork

Origins of Packaging:

Paper, Cartons, and

Plastic

•  solution to high cost of packaging

•  because some of the packages used before were more expensive than the food itself

•  Problem: not yet suitable for fluid packaging

Problem in Packaging

Liquids

•  Cellophane became important for a time but it was replaced by the more promising polyethylene

•  Breakthrough: Tetra pak, invented in Sweden in 1952Then fully disposable packaging was invented in 1940

•  Then fully disposable packaging was invented in 1940

•  Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) – develeoped because of the demand for ready – to – eat vegetables

Sustainability Issues

•  Studies and surveys: less people are willing to pay that little extra to protect

the environment

•  Sustainability: development that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

•  3 standards of sustainable packages (triple bottom line)

- Environmental - Social

-  Financial

•  There are innovations motivated by unprecedented consumer demand for

environmental awareness

Recent History of Sustainable Food Packaging Innovation

•  McDonald’s - one of the forerunners for environmental friendly packaging

McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc - spent millions for research on how they can care more for the environment

Studies included the use of polystyrene clam shells and cups. This material was found to be easily recyclable

Jamba Juice - also used this material.

Starbucks – developed the first cup made out of 10% post consumer fibers

Starbucks - saving 11 tons worth of trees, 580 million BTU’s of heat, 47 million gallons of waste water, and 3 million pound of solid waste each year

Labels and Brand Names

•  first half of the nineteenth century - food manufacturers realized that their products would sell better if a brand name was attached to them

•  a name with prestige that potential customers could easily recognize

•  Initially, labels with information about the contents were put on glass containers or cans.

•  Nowadays, in most industrialized countries, legislation regulates the information that must be provided on packaging for consumers' protection.

Promotions

  Information transmission - how to use, transport, recycle, or dispose of the package or product. Some types of information are required by governments.

  Marketing - used by marketers to encourage potential buyers to purchase the product. Package design has been an important and constantly evolving phenomenon for several decades. Marketing communications and graphic design are applied.

Security

  Security - reducing the security risks of shipment

  Tampering: improved tamper resistance, some have tamper-evident features to help indicate tampering.

  Pilferage: Some package constructions are more resistant to pilferage, some have pilfer indicating seals

Convenience and Portion

Control

  Convenience - features which add convenience in distribution, handling, stacking, display, sale, opening, reclosing, use, and reuse.

  Portion control - Single serving packaging has a precise amount of contents to control usage.

  also aids the control of inventory: selling sealed one-liter-bottles of milk, rather than having people bring their own bottles to fill themselves.

Why use Food Packaging?

•  Containment •  Protection •  Barrier •  Convenience

•  Product Information •  Marketing •  Processing Requirement •  Dispensing

Guidelines on Packaging

Development

1. Consider the nature of the food to be

packed.

2. Choose packaging materials that meet the product requirements.

3. Be sure to provide customers with better

convenience in using the product.

4. A package is the face of a product and often is the only product exposure consumers experience prior to purchase.

5. Keep in mind the availability and

cost of the packaging

material.

Types of Packaging Materials

Paper low cost, popular,

readily available, and versatile packaging

material.

Greaseproof paper cookies, candy bars-

Chipboard -outer layers For cereal boxes

Paper Laminates soups, frozen

food containers-

Plastic inexpensive and

lightweight with a wide range

of physical and optical properties.

Polystyrene -disposable plastic ware

Polyethylene High density: bottles,

margarine tubs Low density: food bags-

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) -mineral water bottles, soda bottles

Glass long history in food packaging; the 1st glass

objects for holding food are believed to have appeared around 3000 BC

-glass bottles, jars

Aluminum common, easy to manufacture, recyclable -canned goods, inner

lining for food

Principles for Design

1. Packaging Dynamics.

2. Brand manifestation.

3. Product Differentiation

4. Branding

5. Typography

6. Information layout and hierarchy

SAMPLES

Websites and blogs

Conclusion

Merci Mucho. -Bueno, Nuñez, Ong