Food Preservation and Storage

Food Preservation Storage

Lesson 14: Packaging, labeling and Costing of Food Products

Classification of Package

Food packages can be classified as follows:

1. Unit pack
   1. Primary pack or consumer pack.
   2. Primary containers by definition are those which come in direct contact with the food.
   3. The size and number of units in a pack depends on nature of product and marketing method. Generally it contains a single unit.
   4. This package serves as a retail pack and thus, the package should have good eye appeal and easy to open, carry or handle.


2. Intermediate pack
   1. Secondary pack.
   2. Such package does not come in direct contact with food.
   3. Its purpose is utilization of couple of unit packs, distribution, requirement and display value.


3. Bulk pack
   1. Tertiary pack/ Master pack/ distribution pack/ transport pack.
   2. Just like secondary pack, this type of pack also does not in direct contact with food.
   3. Used for distribution of unit pack or intermediate packs.
   4. Care has to be taken to protect against mechanical hazards.


4. Inner packaging components
   1. These are used in transport package to provide the resistance to movement of contents during journey due to vibration.
   2. For example- separators used in package where glass bottles are packed; cushioning materials like thermocole, expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polyethylene (EPE), paper cuttings, wood wool either to protect the product against the shock hazards or act as space fillers to prevent the movement of contents during journey.


5. External reinforcement
   1. The shipping containers are further reinforced by means of either plastic straps or metal straps applied along the girth as well as the length in order to strengthen the shipping container.
   2. Reinforcement also helps to improve the stacking strength, avoid bursting in case of failure and increase weight carrying capacity