Food industry Packaging

Plastic compounding and processing Food industry Packaging Civil engineering... 

The PTFE micropowders are commonly used in plastics, inks, lubricants, and finishes such as lacquer. Lubricants containing micropowders are used for bearings, valve components, and other moving parts where sliding friction must be minimized or eliminated. Nonstick finishes that require good release properties, for example, in the food and packaging industry, commonly use PTFE micropowders. 

Shelf Devices Equipment having heated and/or cooled shelves is available but is httle used for divided-sohds heat processing. Most extensive use of stationaiy shelves is freezing of packaged solids for food industries and for freeze drying by sublimation (see Sec. 22). 

The recent introduction of inexpensive desktop computers has allowed their extensive use throughout many companies. The standard spreadsheet packages which accompany these machines enables the above data to be laid out in an interactive way, so that what if situations can be explored at the planning stage and the implications of, for example, market trends in the food industry, to be examined over the long term for its effect on the plant layout. The model may include a factor to take into account improvements in technology and working practices in both the office and factory. 

The complexity of the problems associated with future food packaging can be seen from these examples. We have focused on only one factor in one segment of the food industry—the effect of change in solid waste disposal. The present uncertainties in technical and political aspects of the disposal problem prevent a definite decision as to whether packaging changes should be made. All the industry can do at present is prepare itself for a possible major shift that would have to be made in a short time. 

At the same time, many practical issued associated with the use of optical oxygen sensors in food packs still remain. These have to be addressed to adapt the existing sensing materials and prototype systems for real-life applications, achieve the required sensor specifications, operational performance and safety. Considerable technological developments and effort in eliminating current problems and bottlenecks are required, to facilitate widespread use of the oxygen sensors by food and packaging industry. 

Many of these tasks require extensive and multi-disciplinary R D efforts supported by considerable investments, as well as active interaction with potential users (food and packaging industries, food research organizations, and with government institutions). This should be followed by extensive validation of such sensors with real foods and conditions of use. 

This oxygen sensor system has been successfully used by us with a number of different types of packaged foods and packaging processes, being continuously developed and optimized in these real-life conditions and applications. It was validated in several small laboratory scale and medium industrial scale trials19,30 with the following foods and processes ... 

The National Centre for Food Safety Technology, is spearheading several packaging related efforts to expand the fist of polymers that can be used for packaging in food irradiation applications. This comprehensive article explains and describes the current situation in the field of irradiated foods and packaging and provides an update on impending approval for processed and red meats. The industry is concerned to uphold and maintain public confidence in the processed food and irradiated food supply. 

Food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, industrial packaging... 

The production of foamed films and sheets from polypropylene and polystyrene is discussed, with particular reference to packaging applications. Advantages of foamed materials for this application are examined, and the chemical and physical foaming processes are described. Extrusion technology for film and sheet by chemical and physical foaming processes is discussed, and recent developments in the coextrusion of multilayer packaging trays for the food industry are considered. 

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (1999) permits the use of di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate as a component of adhesives used in food packaging, as a component of cellophane, as a plasticizer in polymeric substances used in the manufacture of articles for the food industry, as a component of paper and paper-board in contact with aqueous and fatty foods, and as a component of closirres with sealing gaskets for food containers. 

One recent example of the formation and application of foils/membranes of unmodified bacterial nanocellulose is described by George and coworkers [35]. The processed membrane seems to be of great relevance as a packaging material in the food industry, where continuous moisture removal and minimal-oxygen-transmission properties play a vital role. The purity, controllable water capacity, good mechanical stability, and gas-barrier... 

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