Plus Pack.

Plastic has become highly popular in food packaging because of its wide variety of applications and material types. At the same time plastic packaging is widely discussed due to the huge amount of plastic found in the ocean in some areas of the world.

MINIMISNG FOOD WASTE 

If recycled correct  though, plastic is a great packaging material that taps into one of the world’s fastest growing consumer trends: Less time for meal preparation which means that we buy ready meals or food to go. And this takes some kind of packaging. Plastic packaging has several benefits, and the most important job one is to protect and extend the lifetime of food. This makes it a key player in minimising food waste.

THE SPECTRUM OF PLASTIC PERFORMANCE

Plastic packaging is suitable for virtually any food product and at temperatures from -40°C to 220°C. It can be used for hot and cold filling and for microwave reheating. Because of plastic’s excellent barrier properties against water, carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen, products in plastic packaging retain their flavour, aroma and nutritional value and are protected from external contamination. Plastic packaging comes in a wide range of material types, each of which offers specific features regarding appearance, temperature range, appropriate food use, shelf life, barrier properties and environmental footprint. Lightweight plastic packaging also contributes to lighter truck loads, which helps reduce the energy used for transportation, lower shipping costs and reduce the amount of waste generated.

RECYCLING 

Different plastic types are to be recycled differently. And some plastic types are CO2 friendly when it comes to production (fx PP Chalk) and others are environmentally friendly when it comes to recycling (mono materials as PP, PET, etc). Also, bio-based and bio-degradable plastic packaging is being discussed, and Plus Pack supports the general view, that bio-based food packaging is the future. To support this work, Plus Pack is deeply involved in different plastic projects in order to ensure the optimal development of plastic food packaging.

Since the world was introduced to aluminium food packaging in 1948, it has established a track record as a highly versatile, effective and recyclable food packaging solution for everything from frozen dinners to barbeque dinners. Aluminium packaging was developed to protect food and extend its lifetime whilst preserving food taste and nutritional value. That means aluminium plays a key role in minimising food waste.

• Versatile and effective: Aluminium packaging is suited to nearly all types of food handling from -40°C to 350°C. It  goes from the freezer to the fridge, oven, or microwave. It is also the only food packaging suitable for the barbeque. Beyond a large temperature range tolerance, aluminium packaging protects food and ensures a long shelf life. Its barrier properties range from water, light and grease to microorganisms and air. Its light weight makes it easy to form and process and contributes to efficient transportation. The impervious barrier of aluminium allows for a long shelf life – and can be closed with aluminium or plastic lids allowing also for packaging that require modified gas packaging (MAP). Aluminium foil can be used plain or come with different surface coatings, which enlarge the scope of use.

• Food safety: Aluminium has high corrosion resistance, since its surface by nature is coated with a protective layer of aluminium oxide. That said, if highly acidic or salty foods (outside the pH range 4.5 to 8.5) are cooked or stored in uncoated aluminium packaging for extended time periods, migration can occur, increasing the natural amount of aluminium in the food.

• Recyclability: Aluminium is 100% recyclable by nature, and 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use. Furhermore, development of new and stronger alloys together with design optimisation leads consistently to achieving “more with less”, a down gauging trend which the aluminium industry, raw material suppliers and Plus Pack is committed to continue. Aluminium is considered a valuable material and should therefore be collected for recycling.