Facts About the Plastics that Your Food Comes In

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Food packaging automation

How much do you know about the food packaging equipment that your favorite bag of chips comes in? Those chips, and many other packaged foods, are the result of a fascinating process that uses a tool called a vertical form fill seal machine. The name of the machine essentially describes the process. It starts with a flat roll of plastic film, which the machine forms into plastic bags. Simultaneously, it fills the bag with chips, candy, or whatever the product of choice is, and seals it. It is a very useful product for food production, and the right vertical form fill seal machine is a necessary tool for a food supplier. It can be used with both solids and liquids, making it a very versatile piece of machinery.

Although the vertical form fill seal machine can be used with materials such as paper and fabric, it is most commonly used with plastic. This is because plastic is the most effective material for food storage. In fact, packaging experts have estimated that one pound of plastic packaging has the potential to reduce food waste by up to 1.7 pounds. Additionally, just two pounds of plastic can deliver 1,300 ounces (which is roughly 10 gallons) of a beverage such as water, juice, or soda. It would take three pounds of aluminum to hold the same amount of beverage product. Steel would require eight pounds to contain the same amount, and glass would need more than 40 pounds. That is a big difference!

It has been found that in 1977, the two liter plastic soft drink bottle weighed 68 grams. Today, it only weighs 47 grams. That is a 31% reduction per bottle. in 2006, that difference saved more than 180 million pounds in plastic packaging for two liter soft drink bottles alone. Clearly, plastic is the best material to store our delicious beverages, and utilizing food packaging machines such as the vertical form fill seal machine help manufacturers to effectively bring us that product.

Are you interested in learning more about these great machines? Maybe you’d like to go into the food packaging business? Here’s some helpful information for you.