The overall impression and new concept of Chinese packaging (2)

6. Some hopes for Chinese packaging

1. Palletization of transport packages

Modern transportation packaging saves manpower and time and enables high-speed automation because users demand the products they need in the shortest possible time, while also saving costs as much as possible. Tray collection packaging is a way to solve this problem, it can achieve rapid loading and unloading, but also reduce the corresponding dynamic load, thus reducing the breakage rate during transportation loading and unloading.

The first point to be discussed here is that China's export product packaging must use pallets as much as possible. Due to the arrival in Europe, loading, unloading, and transfer are automated operations, and there is no inconvenience in the absence of pallets. If you stack the packages on the tray again, you waste time, increase labor costs, and increase the chance of damage. The second point is that the size of the package must be as close as possible to the standard tray. This problem can often be found in the port of Hamburg. Regardless of whether the overall size of the packs stacked on the pallet is more or less than the overall size, it will have a certain impact on container transport or safe loading. Therefore, in the design of the structural dimensions of the package must be connected to the standard tray size as much as possible to optimize the design.

2. Packaging waste and environmental protection

Packaging is a general name for containers, materials, and auxiliary materials that are used to protect products in circulation, facilitate storage and transportation, promote sales, and use certain technical methods. It has many functions. However, in some people's eyes, packaging is just a kind of garbage, and many people believe that the ratio of packaging waste to the total amount of various wastes must exceed 30%. The actual situation is not the case. In Europe, this proportion is about 3%, and in China it should be roughly this proportion. In any case, there are so many populations in China that the demand for packaging is very large. Therefore, the recycling of packaging waste also occupies a certain amount in environmental protection.

In China, I heard that colleagues in the packaging industry talked about the white pollution of plastic bags. We feel that different approaches can be taken to solve this problem. For example, if the price of a white plastic bag is properly increased, then the user must consider what kind of packaging material to use. It is also possible to carry out publicity and education for the residents. It is recommended that everyone use cloth bags or baskets to purchase daily necessities; The packaging waste can be categorized or directly stacked in the corresponding container, and the phenomenon of throwing plastic bags or other packaging wastes can also be punished accordingly.

Recycling of plastic bags in Germany is relatively easy. Considering that the cost of plastic bag recycling is higher than the cost of direct production of new materials, the recycling process of plastic bags in Germany mainly uses combustion treatment methods. The corresponding treatment technology has been To avoid the elimination of environmental pollution when recycling plastics, the heat energy generated during combustion can be fully utilized.

3. Avoid overpacking

The first thing to say is that packaging should be avoided, regardless of sales packaging or transportation packaging. Intuitively speaking, it is to save the amount of packaging materials as much as possible while protecting the product from damage; at the same time, the packaging materials, packaging containers and structures selected must be matched with the contents. If a product with a low value is selected with precious materials and complicated structures, it is also a phenomenon of over packaging. In addition, I would like to point out that packaging design must also consider people's income levels. The current average overall income level in China is not too high. If all of them are packaged into luxury packages, then obviously not all consumers can afford it. To recognize that China currently has many wealthy people, most of the residents' income is still at an ordinary level, and we must not forget that about 60% of people still live in rural areas and that packaging design must also think of them.

Seventh, the conclusion

In the 21st century, China will become an economic power in the world. The development of the economy will certainly drive the rapid development of the packaging industry. Any product can not be separated from the packaging, packaging and people's lives are closely related to the improvement of people's living standards will certainly put forward higher requirements for packaging. China now has such a large number of institutions of higher learning to train packaging professionals, which plays an important role in the development of packaging. It is hoped that more Chinese students will be able to study in Germany and Europe, as well as the packaging profession. In this way, we can learn from each other and understand better the specific requirements for packaging in Europe. This is very important for China's export goods packaging.

People should have confidence in the future of Chinese packaging, at least we think so.

Eighth, the new packaging concept in the new century

The various plastic materials used by people for food packaging today are inert. They only use physical means to block the outside air from entering the interior of the packaging container, so that the packaged food remains unimpaired. However, they are incapable of holding oxygen or other harmful gases in the food due to flashes or encapsulation inside the package. Therefore, they are called passive packaging.

Some of the world's major additive manufacturers and packaging manufacturers are developing a new type of active packaging material, which is made by adding new oxygen-absorbing agents to traditional plastic films. This new film absorbs oxygen, ethylene, and other gases that are deteriorating from the food in the container. The new film is made of composite materials with other films with good barrier properties, which can greatly extend the shelf life of the packaged food. Food processors and packaging manufacturers are very interested in this kind of packaging material, but it has not been applied on a large scale. The main reason is that the cost is more than 10% higher than that of conventional packaging materials, and the benefits of extended food shelf life are difficult to estimate. . This is Active Packaging.

The so-called positive packaging means that the packaging food and the environment are coordinated with each other to produce the desired effect, and its role is to maintain the quality of the packaged food and hope all improvements. According to expert analysis, the prospects for the replacement of this material are very broad. For example, naringinase is immobilized on a polymer and used as an inner wall coating for grape juice packaging. The enzyme can make flavonones in fruit juices. Hydrolysis, which tends to result in bitterness, therefore, this packaged beverage can maintain a sweet flavor for a long period of time.

The growth of microorganisms on the surface of foods is the main cause of deterioration. Antimicrobial packaging materials are now being developed. This kind of package can slowly release a kind of anti-microbial ingredients, which can greatly improve the food storage period and improve food quality. The packaging containers are generally sterilized prior to packaging and self-sterilizing packaging (self-sterilizing packaging) has now taken place. For example, the nisin that is being studied is produced by Lactococus lactis, and it is coated on low-density polyethylene film with methyl cellulose as a carrier, which has a very good antibacterial effect. Other antibacterial agents such as benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, salicyclic acid, potassium sorbate and propionic acid have been studied, some of which have been applied in edible coatings.

In 1997, a new generation of active packaging materials has been used for packaging containers in the inner layer, outer layer and lid and other parts. The new oxygen-absorbing agent it uses mainly contains metal oxides, supplemented with various oxidation promoters and fillers. All components are harmed to the requirements of food hygiene, and are made into the form of masterbatch. They can be directly added into the resin and extruded or made into composite materials. Australian Southcorp packaging Pymble Co., Ltd. uses organic oxygen absorbers such as ethylene glycol and phenol to copolymerize with packaging resin monomers to produce oxygen-absorbing copolymers.

Amoco has developed various Amosorb Series Oxygen Absorption Masterbatches for PP, PE, PET and Elastomers, both for heating and hot-fill food packaging materials and for frozen food packaging. All kinds of hard bottles, films, cap liners, etc. can be used.

At present, the market capacity of this new active packaging material is only 50 million US dollars per year. According to optimistic estimates of relevant people, by the year 2000, it will reach 1 billion U.S. dollars a year. It will face the competition of low-cost, high-performance traditional inert packaging materials, but the advantages of these two materials can complement each other and develop together.

Food is more and more complex and has many colors, and packaging must adapt. There are now "system integration" packages that use several packaging technologies simultaneously, such as modified atomsphere packages that can be sterilized by microwave ovens. Radiation disinfection, and can extend the storage period. Other new technologies for food processing and disinfection, such as high pressure, ultrasonic and magnetic processing, can be applied in packaging. Research work in this area is currently under way.