3.6. packaging and food quality

Question 1

what are the main functions of packaging?

Answer 1

Containing the product
Protection
Preservation
Convenience
Information for the consumer
Promotion / advertising / branding

Question 2

how can packaging improve presentation and cleanliness?

Answer 2

-gives consumers more confidence in the safety and quality of product.
-ensure the foods have stayed clean, limiting contamination and dirt

Question 3

role of packaging in marketing?

Answer 3

-Marketing and branding are designed to be strong influences on consumers
-Colour schemes, logos, images and advertising are eye catching and become familiar to consumers.
-consumers then know and trust these products

Question 4

role of packaging in protection?

Answer 4

-helps prevent damage in transit
-prevents leaking, bruising or crushing during transportation so food arrives at the supermarket and to the consumers home in an expected condition.

Question 5

role of packaging in shelf life?

Answer 5

-can help to extend the shelf life of food, reducing food waste
-eg.salad leaves are sold in bags which have had nitrogen gas pumped into them which keeps them fresh and crispy far longer than if they were left in normal air.

Question 6

role of packaging in practicality?

Answer 6

-helps consumers conveniently carry food home from the supermarket.
-some food shops sell food where customers bring their own packaging and weight the food themselves. The aim is reduce the amount of materials used for food packaging.

Question 7

what is primary packaging?

Answer 7

-the packaging that houses the product eg. crisp packet, a wine bottle, a can, a chocolate bar wrapper
-Sometimes primary packaging will be fully removed (e.g. sandwich packaging), other times it remains intact (e.g. a wine bottle)

Question 8

what is secondary packaging?

Answer 8

the large multipack bag containing individual packets of crisps, the shrink wrap that holds together multiple drinks cartons, or the cardboard box that contains cans of lager.

Question 9

what is tertiary packaging?

Answer 9

-rarely seen by the customer except in low cost retail outlets. It relates to the shrink-wrapped pallets used to transport products in bulk from manufacturers to the retailer usually via distribution centres.

Question 10

what factors influence the choice of packaging material?

Answer 10

-Fragility of the food
-Moisture content
-Likely causes of spoilage such as bruising, crushing, susceptibility to light, enzyme activity or microbial growth, reactions to acids
-Intended storage method e.g. ambient temperatures, freezers, fridges
-Company image e.g. luxury foods often use glass
-Cost of the material packaging
-Production facilities such as compatibility with current production machinery or investment in new innovations of packaging processes and equipment.
-Ethical /environment considerations
-Consumer expectations

Question 11

what are the types of packaging materials?

Answer 11

Cans
Glass
Rigid plastics
Flexible plastics
Paper and paperboard
Aluminium foil and laminates

Question 12

cans advantages/ disadvantages

Answer 12

+Cheap to produce
+long shelf life
+Provides good protection for food, impact resistant
+Prevents lose or gain of moisture
+High speed of production for large quantities
+Easy to display and stack on shelves for the seller
-Foods with low protein content and high acid content require a special coating on the can so it is inert
can become dented or damaged

Question 13

glass advantages/ disadvantages

Answer 13

+is chemically inert and so does not react with food
+Impermeable, odourless and non porous
+Easy to sterilise
+Usually transparent so the contents can be seen
+Easy to open and reseal
+Variety of shapes, colours and sizes
+Can be recycled or reused
-Can be broken and so care is needed during production and distribution
-Costly

Question 14

flexible plastics advantages/ disadvantages

Answer 14

+Lightweight and flexible
+Takes less space for transportation then rigid packaging.
+Easy to print on the packaging for branding.
+Lower cost that rigid plastic alternatives
+Uses less material than rigid packaging alternatives
-May affect the flavour of food
-Low resistance to extreme temperatures
-Difficult to recycle as they are Non biodegradable

Question 15

rigid plastic advantages/ disadvantages

Answer 15

+Lightweight but strong
+High resistance to breakage
+Variety of shapes, colours and sizes
+Relatively cheap to produce
+Unlikely to affect the flavour of food
-Considerable carbon footprint
-Space in landfills if not recycled
-Detrimental impact on animals, oceans and countryside
-Not biodegradable
-Cost of transportation because of size and rigidity

Question 16

paper/paperboard advantages/ disadvantages

Answer 16

+Cost effective
+Different shapes, textures and thickness of paper and paperboard give versatility
+Greaseproof paper can offer a barrier to unwanted odours and moisture
+Pulped fibreboard can be used to protect food such as eggs and fruit
+Can be recycled
-Some paper and paperboard has less resistance to light, moisture and microbes

Question 17

aluminium foil and laminates advantages/ disadvantages

Answer 17

-Laminates give strength and moisture resistance e.g. Tetra Paks
+Can be used to make laminated vacuum packs, modified atmosphere packaging, controlled atmosphere packaging to extend shelf life.
+Aluminium foil is light, flexible, and can withstand heat.
-can be weak and tear easily.

Question 18

what are laminates?

Answer 18

made of two or more layers of materials from separate reels that are stuck together with heat or glue. Many plastic packages are laminates.

Question 19

environmental impact of food packaging?

Answer 19

-plastics can cause land, air, water and wildlife pollution
-Food packaging waste may end up in landfill and take many years to biograde
-The amount of air miles food travels from production, processing, sale and consumption

Question 20

ways to reduce the environmental impact of food packaging?

Answer 20

-Packaging made from edible films e.g. seaweed, milk proteins
-Compostable packaging made from agricultural waste
-Biodegradable packaging
-Active and intelligent packaging involves controlling and requiring to the environment with the food package. This maintains the ideal environment for the food being packaged.