The Best Customized Packaging Materials for Frozen Food

Freezing food is one of the most versatile, quickest, and easiest ways to preserve it. When food is frozen properly, it can maintain much of its original texture, flavor, and color, and it can also retain its original nutrients more so than food that is preserved through other methods. A variety of customized packaging materials can be used for packaging frozen food, and more information about this process is outlined below.

Packaging Material Characteristics

When it comes to packaging food, the main purpose is prevent food items from drying out while preserving nutritional value, color, texture, and flavor. A good material for freezing food should have many of the following characteristics:

• Vapor and moisture-proof
• Leak-proof and durable
• Mad of a material that is designed for food product use
• Resistant to water, grease, and oil
• Easy to store, fill, label, and seal
• Protect against other odors and flavors

Types of Packaging Materials

When you are in need of a packaging material to store frozen food, rigid containers are often a good choice. These containers can be made of plastic, aluminum, waxed cardboard, and sometimes glass. Containers that have tapered or straight sides will also help with the removal of frozen foods from the packaging, and folding cartons are a commonly used packaging solution.

Frozen Food Packaging Tips

If you are packaging food to be frozen, it is important to ensure that all foods have cooled thoroughly before handling them. This will help to speed up the freezing process. Choose packaging solutions that will allow you to pack foods together in quantities that you will use at one time, and package them tightly so that air within the package is reduced. You should also consider some other helpful tips when it comes to freezer packaging, labeling, and sealing:

• When you are wrapping food, get as much air out as possible and then place the wrapping as close to the food item as possible.
• Eliminate air pockets in a container by running the handle of a rubber spatula across the inside of a package.
• Provide some head space between the package closure and the food so that room for expansion is available if the size of the food changes after freezing. However, loose vegetables usually will not need this head space.
• Ensure that sealing edges of packages are free of food and moisture so they can provide a secure closure.

[1/20/2014]