Skip to main content

Testing Packaging Materials for Fresh Produce

Packaging plays a crucial role in maintaining the freshness and quality of fruits and vegetables. To ensure optimal performance, rigorous testing is essential to assess the suitability of packaging materials. By understanding the key qualities required and the specific tests involved, manufacturers can select the most appropriate materials to extend shelf life and reduce food waste.

Key Qualities of Ideal Packaging Materials

  • Moisture Barrier: Prevents water loss, which can lead to dehydration and wilting.
  • Gas Permeability: Allows for controlled gas exchange, preventing the buildup of ethylene gas (a ripening agent) and other harmful gases.
  • Mechanical Protection: Protects the produce from physical damage during transportation and handling.
  • Food Safety: Non-toxic, food-grade, and hygienic to ensure the safety of the produce.
  • Sustainability: Recyclable or biodegradable to minimize environmental impact.

Essential Testing Procedures

To evaluate the suitability of packaging materials, a comprehensive range of tests is necessary:

Mechanical Properties:

  • Tensile Strength: Measures the material's resistance to breaking under tension.
  • Tear Strength: Evaluates the material's resistance to tearing.
  • Puncture Resistance: Assesses the material's ability to withstand punctures.

Labthink C610M Auto Tensile Tester is a versatile tester applicable to testing tensile strength, peeling force, deformation, tearing, puncture force, pulling force and many other physical properties of various materials.

Barrier Properties:

  • Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR): Measures the rate at which water vapor passes through the material.
  • Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR): Measures the rate at which oxygen passes through the material.
  • Carbon Dioxide Transmission Rate (CO2TR): Measures the rate at which carbon dioxide passes through the material.

Labthink C406H Oxygen and Water Vapor Transmission Rate Test System is based on the testing principle of Coulometric oxygen sensor and infrared water vapor sensor. It is designed and manufactured according to ASTM D3985、ASTM F1249，ISO 15106-2 and other relevant standards to provide high precision and high efficiency oxygen and water vapor transmission rate tests for high and medium gas barrier materials. It is suitable for testing the oxygen and water vapor transmission performance of films, sheets and related materials in the fields of food, medicine, medical devices, daily chemicals, photovoltaic, electronic and many others.


 

Other Properties:

Microbial Barrier: Evaluates the material's resistance to microbial growth.

Chemical Compatibility: Determines the material's compatibility with the food product and any other substances it may come into contact with.


C830H Migration & Non-volatile-matter Content Tester tests the potential migration from food contact packaging materials

By conducting these tests and considering the specific requirements of different fruits and vegetables, manufacturers can select the most suitable packaging materials to ensure optimal freshness, reduce food waste, and meet consumer expectations.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Moisture Resistance Testing of Thermal Conductive Silica Gel Pads

Thermal conductive silica gel pads, crucial components in electronic devices, require effective moisture resistance to ensure optimal performance and longevity. This article delves into a comprehensive testing method for evaluating the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of these pads. Electronic components are sensitive to moisture, which can lead to corrosion, short circuits, and reduced reliability. Thermal conductive silica gel pads, often used to facilitate heat dissipation between electronic chips and radiators, play a vital role in preventing moisture ingress. Their moisture resistance properties directly impact the protection of sensitive internal components. The electrolytic sensor method, a widely recognized standard, is employed to measure the WVTR of thermal conductive silica gel pads. This technique involves creating a controlled environment with a high humidity chamber on one side and a low humidity chamber on the other. A sample of the thermal conductive silica gel pad ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Quality Requirements of Lithium Ion Battery Separators

Business Challenge Lithium-ion batteries have one of the best energy-to-weight ratios, no memory effect, and a slow loss of charge when not in use. This makes them one of the most popular types of batteries for portable consumer electronics in today’s marketplace. Lithium-ion batteries can be found in cameras, laptops, power tools, toys and more. However, as recent well-publicized recalls demonstrate, they can pose a risk of fire and overheating. In addition, they can suffer from a reduced lifespan if not properly treated. As a result, new and stricter requirements are being implemented globally to address potential hazards, leaving manufacturers and purchasers of products containing lithium-ion batteries to meet increasing requirements and overcome safety concerns. Lithium Ion Battery Separators A Lithium Ion battery Separator is a permeable membrane placed between the anode and cathode of a battery. The main function of a separator is to keep the positive and negative electr...
2 comments
Read more

Introducing Vacuum Decay Testing Method for Pharmaceutical Packaging Integrity

Maintaining the integrity of pharmaceutical packaging is fundamentally essential for safeguarding product efficacy and patient safety, and vacuum decay testing stands as a highly reliable non-destructive method for verifying this integrity. This technique, particularly effective for blister packs, vials, and pre-filled syringes, identifies leaks without compromising product sterility or efficacy. Vacuum decay testing leverages the principle that a sealed package, when subjected to a vacuum, will exhibit predictable pressure changes if it's leak-free. Conversely, a leaking package will show a different pressure profile. Specific Vacuum Decay Techniques:   Differential Pressure Transducers: These precise sensors measure the difference in pressure between the vacuum chamber and a reference chamber. This allows for detection of very small leaks. Absolute Pressure Sensors: These sensors measure the absolute pressure within the vacuum chamber, providing data to determine the rate of pres...
Post a Comment
Read more