1.

Application of Plastic in food processing

Plastics are used as containers, container components and flexible

packaging. In usage, by weight, they are the second most widely used type
of packaging and first in terms of value. Applications of plastic are:

1. Rigid plastic containers such as bottles, jars, pots, tubs and trays.

2. Flexible plastic films in the form of bags, sachets, pouches and heat-
sealable flexible lidding materials.

3. Plastics combined with paperboard in liquid packaging cartons.

4. Expanded or foamed plastic for uses where some form of insulation,

rigidity and the ability to withstand compression is required.

● Plastic lids and caps and the wadding used in such closures.

5. Diaphragms on plastic and glass jars to provide product protection and

tamper evidence plastic bands to provide external tamper evidence.

6. Pouring and dispensing devices to collate and group individual packs in

multipacks, e.g. Hi-cone rings for cans of beer, trays for jars of sugar
preserves etc.

7. Plastic films used in cling, stretch and shrink wrapping.

8. Films used as labels for bottles and jars, as flat glued labels or heat
shrinkable sleeves

9. Components of coatings, adhesives and inks.

2. Types of plastic used in packaging

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2.1 Polyethylene (PE)

PE is structurally the simplest plastic and is made by addition

polymerization of ethylene gas in a high temperature and pressure reactor. A
range of low, medium and high density resins are produced, depending on
the conditions (temperature, pressure and catalyst) of polymerization.
Polyethylenes are readily heat sealable. They can be made into strong, tough
films, with a good barrier to moisture and water vapor.

They are not a particularly high barrier to oils and fats or gases such as
carbon dioxide and oxygen compared with other plastics, although barrier
properties increase with density. The heat resistance is lower than that of
other plastics used in packaging, with a melting point of around 120°C,
which increases as the density increases.

LDPE and LLDPE can be used in blends with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)
to improve strength and heat sealing. There is a degree of overlap in
application between LDPE and LLDPE, due to the fact that there are
differences in both, as a result of the conditions of polymer manufacture and
ongoing product development. The thickness used for specific applications
can vary, and this can also have commercial implications.

Medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) film is mechanically stronger than

LDPE and therefore used in more demanding situations. LDPE is coextruded
with MDPE to combine the good sealability of LDPE with the toughness
and puncture resistance of MDPE, e.g. for the inner extrusion coating of
sachets for dehydrated soup mixes.

HDPE or high-density PE is the toughest grade and is extruded in the

thinnest gauges. This film is used for boil-in-the-bag applications. To
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improve heat sealability, HDPE can be coextruded with LDPE to achieve
peelable seals where the polymer layers can be made to separate easily at the
interface of the co- extrusion.

2.2 Polypropylene (PP) (5)

PP is an addition polymer of propylene formed under heat and pressure

using Zieger- Natta type catalysts to produce a linear polymer with
protruding methyl (CH2) groups. The resultant polymer is a harder and
denser resin than PE and more transparent in its natural form.

The high melting point of PP (160°C) makes it suitable for applications

where thermal resistance is needed. The surfaces of PP films are smooth and
have good melting characteristics. PP films are relatively stiff. When cast,
the film is glass clear and heat sealable. It is used for presentation
applications to enhance the appearance of the packed product.

PP is chemically inert and resistant to most commonly found chemicals,

both organic and inorganic. It is a barrier to water vapor and has oil and fat
resistance. Many of the PP films are used in the form of laminations with
other PP and PE films. This allows for the reverse-side printing of one
surface, which is then buried inside the subsequent laminate.

2.3 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (1)

PET can be made into film by blowing or casting. It can be blow moulded,
injection moulded, foamed, extrusion coated on paperboard and extruded as
sheet for thermoforming. PET can be made into a biaxially oriented range of
clear polyester films produced on essentially the same type of extrusion and
Stenter-orienting equipment as PP.

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PET melts at a much higher temperature than PP, typically 260°C, and due
to the manufacturing conditions does not shrink below 180°C. This means
that PET is ideal for high-temperature applications using steam sterilization,
boiling-the-bag and for cooking or reheating in microwave or conventional
radiant heat ovens.

The film is also flexible in extremes of cold, down to −100°C. PET is a

medium oxygen barrier on its own but becomes a high barrier to oxygen and
water vapor when metalized with aluminum. This is used for vacuumised
coffee and bag-in-box liquids, where it is laminated with EVA on both sides
to produce highly effective seals. It is also used in snack food flexible
packaging for products with high fat content requiring barriers to oxygen
and ultra violet (UV) light.

PET film is also used as the outer reverse-printed ply in retort pouches,
providing strength and puncture resistance, where it is laminated with
aluminium foil and either PP or HDPE. PET can be oxide coated with SiO2
to improve the barrier, whilst remaining transparent, retortable and
microwaveable. PET is the fastest growing plastic for food packaging
applications as a result of its use in all sizes of carbonated soft drinks and
mineral water bottles which are produced by injection stretch blow
moulding. PET bottles are also used for edible oils, as an alternative to
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (3).

2.4 Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)

EVA is a copolymer of ethylene with vinyl acetate. It is similar to PE in

many respects, and it is used, blended with PE, in several ways. The
properties of the blend depend on the proportion of the vinyl acetate

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component. Generally, as the VA component increases, sealing temperature
decreases and impact strength, low temperature flexibility, stress resistance
and clarity increase.

EVA is also a major component of hot melt adhesives, frequently used in

packaging machinery to erect and close packs, e.g. folding cartons and
corrugated packaging. Modified EVAs are available for use as peelable
coatings on lidding materials such as aluminum foil, PP, PET and paper.
They enable heat sealing, resulting in controllable heat seal strength for easy,
clean peeling. These coatings will seal to both flexible and rigid PE, PP,
PET, Polystyrene (PS) and PVC containers.

2.5 Polyamide (PA) (PA)

Polyamides (PA) are commonly known as nylon. However, nylon is not a

generic name; it is the brand name for a range of nylon products made by
Dupont. They were initially used in textiles, but subsequently other
important applications were developed including uses in packaging and
engineering. Polyamide plastics are formed by a condensation reaction
between a diamine and a diacid or a compound containing each functional
group (amine).

The different types of polyamide plastics are characterized by a number

which relates to the number of carbon atoms in the originating monomer.

PA resins can be used to make blown film, and they can be coextruded. PA
can be blended with PE, PET, EVA and EVOH. It can be blow moulded to
make bottles and jars which are glass clear, low in weight and have a good
resistance to impact.

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2.6 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (3)

PVC has excellent resistance to fat and oil. It is used in the form of
blowmoulded bottles for vegetable oil and fruit drinks. It has good clarity.
As a film, it is tough, with high elongation, though with relatively low
tensile and tear strength. The moisture vapor transmission rate is relatively
high, though adequate for the packaging of mineral water, fruit juice and
fruit drinks in bottles. PVC softens, depending on its composition, at
relatively low temperatures (80–95°C).

PVC easily seals to itself with heat, but heat sealing with a hot wire has the
disadvantage of producing Hcl gas. Most PVC films are produced by
extrusion, using the bubble process. It can be oriented to produce film with a
high degree of shrinkability. Up to 50% shrinkage is possible at quite low
temperatures. The film releases the lowest energy of the commonly used
plastic films when it is heat shrunk around products.

It is plasticized, and the high stretch and cling make it suitable for
overwrapping fresh produce, e.g. apples and meat in rigid trays using semi-
automatic and manual methods.

Unplasticised PVC (UPVC) has useful properties but is a hard, brittle

material, and modification is necessary for it to be used successfully.
Flexibility can be achieved by the inclusion of plasticizers, reduced surface
friction with slip agents, various colors by the addition of pigments and
improved thermal processing by the addition of stabilizing agents.

2.7 Polystyrene (PS) (6)

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It is less well known as an oriented plastic film, though the film has
interesting properties. It has high transparency (clarity). It is stiff, with a
characteristic crinkle, suggesting freshness, and has a dead fold property. It
has a low barrier to moisture vapor and common gases, making it suitable
for packaging products, such as fresh produce, which need to breathe. PS is
easily processed by foaming to produce a rigid lightweight material which
has good impact protection and thermal insulation properties.

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