One of the latest and most important trends for food processors and packaging companies to consider is the demand by the consumer for fresh foods. Fresh foods that are appealing to the eyes as well as allow customers to see clearly their quality is only possible with the right tray packaging equipment.
Unfortunately, bagging and boxing don’t provide the right type of packaging that makes the product visible to the consumer. However, it is often the most efficient and effective for the producer to quickly get the foods to market in a sealed bag, container or tub that is going to preserve the food. This lead to the demand for an alternative and this led to tray packaging.
The Past Challenges
In the past, there have been several challenges for companies switching from bagging or otherwise packaging fresh foods to the use of tray packaging equipment. Often there was the need to reconfigure the lines to accommodate the machine, and this lead to costly downtime.
Most of these issues centered around the relatively basic technology in use that often lead to the incorrect sealing of the film across the tray, allowing food to spoil. Not only was this cost ineffective for the producer, but it also increased problems with branding and even liability issues with specific types of products when the seal was not correct on 100% of all trays processed.
Today’s Differences
In the last three or more decades there has been an increasing understanding of the technology of tray packaging. The equipment used for this process is now computer controlled, virtually eliminating operator or worker error that was a big factor in the problems with tray packaging in the past.
New designs in tray packaging equipment offer the same types of sealing options as found in the very safe and highly effective bagging systems. This includes the use of heat sealing that ensures a complete seal around the tray, allowing for correct atmospheric control within the package to maintain optimal freshness of the product.
Speed and Versatility
With automatic sensors and monitors built into today’s tray packaging equipment, there is no need to have different equipment for different trays. Instead, the system itself can self-detect changes in the tray sizes and adjust to fill correctly and seal the trays without the need for manual configuration.
For small or large production facilities the tray packaging machines of today are very cost-effective, and they provide the consumers with a packaging option they see as fresh, healthy and safe.
