There are a number of reasons that could cause you to look into the kind of materials needed to package a variety of foods. Whether you are a chef looking to develop your recipes, a company that manufactures food or a start-up food business just looking for ideas to store your products, your hunt on sourcing the right materials is one you should be vigilant with. There is a very wide variety of choices when it comes to food packaging. The materials you choose to go with are based on the type of food you are are dealing with, the flexibility or rigidness of the materials you are sourcing, how the materials can be obtained, price, the efficiency of the models you are looking for as well as its adverse effects on the environment. Here are some of the options you can choose to go with.

Flexible Pouches- These are among the fastest growing food packaging materials in the market today. They are environmentally-friendly, leave a lower carbon footprint compared to the other packaging materials and take up less space during storage. Consumers love the packaging as they are lighter, shatter-free and give them an opportunity to get a feel of the contents inside the pouches before purchasing them. To manufacturers they are cheaper to make, easier to store and cost less during shipping given that they weigh much less.

Glass containers and jars- These are among the most known and loved food packaging materials. Glass has an extensive shelf-life and the fact that it is transparent allows the consumer to view and inspect the product before purchasing it. It is also 100% recyclable and re-usable. However, it should be noted that it has a very high carbon footprint and is expensive to ship as it is heavy. It is also prone to easily breaking causing dangerous situations to rise due to the harmful broken pieces.

Clamshell packaging- These materials are made from plastic, recycled paper, paperboard or styrofoam. They are usually used to package foods that do not have a long shelf-life such as sandwiches, meats and salads. Plastic clamshells are recyclable but compostable ones are not. 

Metal cans- These are another form of food packaging materials that are globally famous and have been used since the early 1900’s. Tin cans are mainly used to package fish and meat while aluminum is more popular when it comes to beverages. They are fully recyclable and have a higher shatter resistance compared to glass. 

Plastic bottles- These are the most commonly used when it comes to packaging items such as water and beverages. You can find them at almost any store and are convenient to use. They are recyclable but usually end up in landfills due to adhesives and labels not being removed. 

Papered boxes- They are a hip way of packaging products such as cereals, pasta, soup mix and snacks. They are fully recyclable and leave a lower carbon footprint compared to glass and metal.

According to the type of food you want to package, your budget and the long-term effect of the material on the environment, you are now aware of the choices you can go with when it comes to food packaging.