Whatever we buy, the products always come in packaging. It’s a food packaging specialists’ job to store the food properly, but there are more than meets the eye when it comes to this job description.
If you think this is an easy task, you’re wrong. They have more responsibilities than you think. Such duties include:
1. Coming Up With A Concept
Food packaging is more than just putting food in plastic containers and then you’re good to go. No, there’s a lot more thought and effort put into it. Specialists like LBP Mfg. come up with creative and innovative ideas for storing food.
- Identifying the food products and come up with several ideas on which packaging best suits it.
- From the material, logo, and design, it takes careful planning and some creativity.
- Keeping in mind how they can lower the cost of production without sacrificing the quality.
The task affects the sales of the product. Good packaging makes the food more appealing, attracting the customers, therefore driving up sales. It also represents the brand which is essential to increase awareness of the items and the company as well. The logo, mainly, will serve as a representation of the business.
2. Conducting Shelf Life Studies of the Food and Beverages
Foods and beverages have expiration dates. Food packaging specialists’ should thoroughly research the lifespan of each type of food they need to package. Of course, the company may have already done their initial studies, however, after packaging, the shelf life of food items may change.
The key aspects that needs research are the:
- Packaging Material
The packaging material can either extend or shorten the shelf life of different types of food. The material used can become breeding ground for bacteria or moisture could enter it, which is why they need to test which is the most suitable one for the type of food they are packaging.
- Different Environments
After packaging, the food undergoes different environments. They have to put the food or beverages in various temperatures, humidity, etc. to know how they react. The food can rot even when stored in a refrigerator, what more if they are just on shelves or prepared for meal delivery kits.
From the result of the test, they will know which is the most optimum packaging material and they can include in the label how consumers should store or when to consume the products.
3. Ensuring That The Packaging Is Up To Standards
Every food company follows different standards when it comes to packaging. It is the food packaging specialists’ job to meet those standards. The concept they present should adhere to the specifications and requirements of the company as well as the regulations of the government.
Some tips to ensure that the basic standards are met:
- Present Different Ideas
When it comes to presenting their ideas to the business owner, they usually come prepared with more than one plan. Sometimes they send out samples to try their different designs and materials to know its weight, dimensions, and of course, its overall look.
- Practical Application of the Study
How well they did the studies and research will reflect on the ideas they present. Their primary concern should be the safety of the consumers. The specialists should put to use whatever came up in their tests to make sure that they meet all regulations and that they promote food safety.
- Environmental Impact
Another aspect is the environmental impact of their packaging. As we all know it, our world is quickly filling up with trash. Landfills can no longer accommodate the number of trash humans are producing, and the oceans are taking the fall.As part of the human population, food packaging specialists should also consider coming up with environment-friendly packaging materials. Plastics should already be out of the question. Biodegradable or recyclable materials should be their choices, and the state of the environment should also be a priority.
4. Continue Developing Innovative Ways of Food Packaging
They have to continue learning how they can make improvements in their job. The world is ever changing, people come up with new ideas every day to make life a little bit easier.
Technology also continues to advance. Sooner or later, modern machinery may entirely take over the food packaging process with no need for humanitarian aid. Specialists should also keep up with the changes in technology so they can adapt and still be able to continue their production, quality, and efficiency.
Food packaging specialists need to have the appropriate skills. Certain degrees in engineering, graphic design, or biological science are sometimes required. If you have a degree in those fields and still don’t know what to do with it, then maybe food packaging is your calling. Evaluate your skills and experience to see if you’ll fit in with this job.
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