Food Packaging: A Difficult Balance

A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away we were once partners in a beverage company. With all the difficulties already related to product startup and design, adding the layer of food safety is not a walk in the park. One of the very first things we had to do was have our tea analyzed in a local lab to determine nutritional facts and other packaging necessities. Then there was our supply. It was supposed to be fully decontaminated from bugs when we received it at our storage facility. A few weeks (and one very angry storage unit owner) later we lost our entire crop.
 

Bottom line is there is a lot more that goes into food product packaging than just the overhead, cost analysis, and choosing of materials that a traditional product packager encounters. Sustainable goals are often the last consideration. However, as consumers, we can all show that we support safe sustainable packaging choices by supporting companies that choose these methods.

Check out this interesting article on food packaging sustainability from IFT magazine and please leave your thoughts below on the challenges of food product packaging.