 |
| Food Paper Packaging |
Successful packaging of baked goods such bread, buns etc. depends to a large extent on finding the right balance between moisture loss and retention. While excessive moisture may lead to bacterial/mould growth, loss of too much moisture makes the bread dry and affects the textural and gastronomic appeal of the loaf. Usually the distribution and consumption of these products is typically very fast, yet these products need packaging protection and shelf life extension in store and at home.
Wax-coated paper packages are the most preferred medium for bread packaging. Wax packaging has the capacity to soak in extra oil (Vanaspati), which helps in maintaining the overall look of the packaged loaf. Wax coated paper package is capable of maintaining moisture levels in bread, which results in better shelf life of the product as against other kinds of packaging. The moisture level is maintained by the ability of wax paper to breathe due to which wax paper loses moisture at a slow rate maintaining ideal moisture conditions required for maintaining the quality of food and at the same time avoiding bacterial/mould growth on the food contained. Infact with the use of right wax blend it is possible to engineer water vapor transmission rates to suit the products to be wrapped for example in compressed/fresh yeast wrappers and bread wrappers.
In the case of
Sandwich Packaging where there is a requirement for high barrier properties towards moisture and grease, wax is coated on the paper side which is in direct contact with the food. The wax coating extends holding times (gives resistance to paper from getting soiled from grease/ moisture) making it a favorite wrap among fastfood restaurant chains. Also wax coating reduces UV light transmission that stops fatty products from becoming rancid. Aroma/odor barriers can be optimized by paper and wax coating technology. Depending on the chosen paper grammage, waxed paper is also very competitive on a linear meter basis. Needless to say, it is an ideal choice for sandwich wrappers.
 |
| Sandwich Packaging |
Breathable nature of wax paper is also a key characteristic for it being utilized for compressed fresh Yeast Packaging. Wax paper packaging reduces gas transfer and controls moisture migration (helps in avoiding the possibility of mould growth) to provide extended shelf life. Compressed yeast automatic packaging lines run at high speeds. Wax coated paper has the right stiffness and slip properties, enabling high speed cutting of the individual wraps. Right paper stiffness makes the material stable (less susceptible to curling) enabling more even feed into the packaging machine. There is also a problem of development of high electrostatic charge (depending on humidity and temperature) in Plastic films which requires high-speed packaging machines to be equipped with electrostatic dischargers to control the problem. Wax coated
Food Paper Packaging needs virtually no acclimatization and is less influenced by seasonal changes in packaging production, storage and processing. Hence Waxed paper allows automatic packaging machines to run at maximum speeds, minimize wastage of (rather brittle and sensitive) yeast blocks and maximize production.
