The Role Of Food Packaging In The Wake Of COVID-19
The World Health Organization (WHO) says it’s unlikely that people can contract COVID-19 from food or food packaging, yet because of ongoing disruption, food safety remains a growing concern.
The key factor in maintaining food safety is packaging.
While open food displays are definitely a thing of the past, the role of food packaging spans more than simply protecting food items from sneeze or cough droplets. The effects of the disruption travel all the way down the supply chain, and packaging holds the key to keeping the chain intact.
Delivery delays
Container delays at ports and shipping depots have far-reaching effects. Prolonged storage can lead to decreasing the shelf life of products, breaking the cold chain, and spoilage, which ultimately results in both food wastage and shortages where food is needed most.
The role of packaging to prolong the shelf life of food is crucial.
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) helps retain food quality for long periods. It achieves this through the use of permeable plastic films that can change the atmosphere inside the food container, which helps retain freshness. The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) found that cherries packaged in MAP reduced losses from 24% to less than 1% and extended shelf life from 14 to 28 days.
The extension of shelf life can also be achieved through vacuum packing and active packaging. Vacuum packing prevents the growth of aerobic spoilage organisms, shrinkage, and oxidation, while active packaging requires incorporating components that release or absorb substances such as antimicrobial agents, moisture absorbers, and carbon dioxide.
Proper labeling ensures that food packaging can be adequately identified and managed during transport.
Physical damage and contamination
The primary role of food packaging is to contain and protect products intended for human consumption. Naturally, safety standards for food packaging are higher than other types of packaging.
Food packaging has to offer resistance against leaks and tears to ensure the safety of its contents and protect against physical damage.
In addition, food packaging needs to protect against:
- Bacteria
- Pests
- Moisture
- Tampering
For this reason, the U.S. FDA, WHO, and the European Union (EU) each have their own regulations that pertain to food packaging safety. It’s important for packaging manufacturers and suppliers to ensure that their food packaging products comply with the regulations of the region they intend to operate.
With the global COVID-19 pandemic continuing to disrupt food and beverage supply chains, Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) are essential to maintain food safety. According to the WHO, these systems need to include good hygiene practices, sanitation, and zoning to maintain a hygienic food processing environment. It’s important for workers who come into contact with food to be equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves to reduce the spread of the virus.
Strict adherence to packaging safety standards has also become more important than ever. After all, when disaster strikes, it’s up to packaging to maintain food quality, minimize food waste, and increase shelf life.
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