Importance of Food Packaging Material Testing

In the last decade, the food industry has seen a tremendous growth. Statista reported that the Indian food and restaurant industry was worth approximately 4 trillion Indian rupees in 2019. The entire food service and restaurant industry can be divided into two categories: the organized and unorganized.

The market value of these food service providers is 2.5 trillion INR, which is a larger percentage of the customer base. The organized section, however, is valued at 1.6 billion INR. These huge revenues are a clear indication of the large number of customers who frequent these restaurants.

In the post-COVID-19 era, a large percentage of customers from both these sections opt for home delivery or carry-on. Producers and food vendors need to make sure their food storage materials are of the highest quality by regularly testing the packaging material in their bags. One of the major reasons why manufacturers  use different tools like tensile strength testing equipment and short span compression tester. Let us have a look at the importance of packaging material testing and why it is required. 

Why Packaging material testing is required?

For testing food packaging materials, there are many testing machines like tensile strength testing equipment  that can be found on the market. These machines are often designed for manufacturers. These devices are easy to use, so any vendor or producer can use them. The program allows for the recording of analysis results between different packaging materials.

Reports of testing are created in photos, videos, graphics and other formats. The packaging material testing procedures can be divided into two categories: quantitative and qualitative. These tests are done on product samples used in the FMCG sector.

This ensures that the product's freshness and quality are maintained throughout the manufacturing process. Several industrial sectors within FMCG can benefit from regular testing of packaging material.

• Manufacturers, packers, and vendors of food and beverages

• Manufacturers of pharmaceutical products

• Transporters and chemical producers

How is the packaging material tested?

The design, development, production, and testing of food packaging materials are all controlled by quality management systems. There are many testing equipment that can be used to test packaging materials, including:

• Strength

• Drop tester

• Box compression tester

• Cobb sizing tester

• short span compression tester

The following are some of the most common tests food packaging material vendors and manufacturers must perform:

Box compression

The Box Compression Tester measures the strength of materials designed to carry significant loads and to experience external force during transport, such as:

• Fiberboards

• Corrugated box

• Multilayered boxes

• It is vital that the packaging material be strong to prevent product damage and maintain top quality products.

Drop Test

Drop testing machines are useful for measuring the maximum height the packaging material can withstand, which helps to prevent damage to the product. It can also measure the maximum external force that the packaging box can withstand without causing significant damage.

Conclusion

Manufacturers need to ensure consistency in the packaging material they use by regularly testing it. Food industry manufacturers can use packaging material testing to make sure they have the highest quality components and materials. 

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