The role of packaging in food processing is just one among many ways of food preservation. As soon as food is packaged, it is set for shipment and marketing. For many food technologists to embark on food packaging, the food technologist must have food knowledge of the technology, materials, labour equipments, capital, research, engineering and management involved in any such food processing establishment. The package purposely protects the product from environmental hazards throughout the period of shelf life (Schoeld and Joseph, 1992).
Packaging plays the important role of a catalyst between the consumer and the product. Products reach and popularity is determined by its entire look and feel. With meterial business booming, the packaging industry too has been catapulted to greater heights with constant changes. Even our traditional food industry expects packaging to perform magic and propel its cuisines on the worlds best selling items list. (Boyd and Haper, 1990). Consumers today are also looking for balance between cost and convenience. And the mass production of small sachets seems to be at the forefront in this metail boom. With higher output, reliability of operation and flexibility of size in demand, effective secondary packaging was become important to support. Which is why multi track machines comprising of 10 tracks with outputs of around 500 machines require skilled manpower, proper quality packaging material and suitable post packaging methods? Double and triple head machines too are easier to handle and offer flexibility for smaller batch sizes. (Griffin and Sacharow, 1990). For meeting with the requirements of increasing shelf – life the industry has seen an entry of various machinery like the Aseptic pouch packing systems, Retort packing systems and Modified Atmosphere Packing System (MAP). In Aseptic Poch Packing System, a sterile product (eg. UHT Milk) is packed without the danger of contamination making its increasing shelf span without any needs of a “cool chain” for distribution and storage. This system can make liquid milk available in deficit areas like the North East India States. While in Retort Packing, a product is filled in a retort package and is subjected to post packing sterilization in a retort or autoclave. (Doyle and Mona, 1996). This is mainly the thermal process and helps in achieving sterility and long shelf life stability. Retort packages can be distributed and stored at room temperature. Pick fill seal machines using pre-made retort rouches are the biggest beneficiaries of this technology. Both the above packaging machinery requires careful selection of processing method and material in order to achieve the desired results. Of later, commonly sought grocery commodities like sugar, rice, salt, spices are increasingly being projected as brands to all track customers. (Carthy Jerome and Williams 1996).
Furthermore, among the groups of packaged, consumer items, food ranks was the highest and thus an entire industry can be instituted purposely for food packaging. As the world is fast advancing technologist must have the knowledge of packaging principles and practices as their meet specific requirements of food in order to retain it’s quality through processing, storage and distribution. And to specify what demands the food imposes on the package. Though it’s the sole of responsibilities of the packaging specialist to design and manufacture packages. (Mehegan and Sean, 1996)
However, in as much as the package physically of the protects and maintains the quality of the product, appeals and attracts the consumer, it should be within an average economic cost. (Mehegan and Sean, 1996).
Before World War II packaging was used primarily to surrender and protect products during storage, transportation and distribution. Some packages where designed with esthetic appeal and even for ease of use by the end of the consumer, but package design was typically left to technicians. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the mid – 18005, they build it and com maximum had prevailed. After World War II companies become more interested in marketing and promotion as a means of enticing customers to purchase their products. (Rosette, 1992). As a result of more manufactures begans to vicro packaging as a way to lure buyers. During mid 1900s, several influence contributed to turn packaging into an integral part of the most companies marketing mix. Consumers become better educated, wealth and expectations generally increased, consequently consumer began to rely much more heavily on manufactured good and processed foods items. New technologist related to production, distribution and preservatives lead to a massive proliferation in the number and type of products and brand available in the industrialized. (Stern, Waltter and Willy, 1981)
Thus packaging become vital means of differentiating items and informing consumers. The importance of consumer packaging was elevated in the United States, during the late 197s, and 1980S. Rapid economic expansion and marked growth warned during the period of forcing consumer to focus increasingly on luring consumer to their product brand at the expanse of the competition. Packaging design become a marketing science. And as a new corporate cost consciousness developed in response to the increased competitive companies began to alter packaging techniques as a way to cut production, storage and distribution expenses. (Crift and Scharow, 1972).
Furthermore, marketers began to view packaging as a tool to exploit existing product lines by adding new items and pump new life into maturing product.
Today in different parts of the world, due to the fast advancement in science and technology, the role of packaging in wood processing, packaging some foods naturally have efficient primary containers, for example, nut, oranges, eggs etc. Such foods need to be packaged with only secondary outer
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