Best temperature controlled packaging solutions for the food industry

Not only is the value lost if the temperature isn’t preserved, but there is a so-called temperature danger zone between 5°C and 60°C where bacteria grow best and this can lead to food poisoning. 

Temperature controlled packaging is designed to preserve the temperature of your packaged product, minimising any heat transfer from outside. This helps your sensitive food products remain in perfect and safe condition until they reach their destination.

Without reliable insulation, your produce could ruin and become unsafe for consumption. So, what reliable temperature controlled packaging could you be using to ensure this does not happen?

PLA insulated packaging

At Swiftpak, we offer a range of temperature controlled packaging solutions to make sure your businesses’ sensitive goods are kept at the required temperature throughout transit. PLA (polylactic acid) is an innovative bioplastic produced under controlled conditions using renewable sources such as corn starch or sugar cane. It has thermal insulating properties whilst also being eco-friendly, meaning that this chilled packaging solution can be fully degraded into carbon dioxide and water after composting - without any environmental pollution.

PLA insulation keeps the temperature of the food item at around 4 degrees Celsius for up to 30 hours at an average room temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius. PLA packaging also does not release toxic fumes when oxygenated so highly sensitive goods will not become contaminated during storage or transit, another reason why it is a popular material for temperature controlled packaging in the food industry.

Some of our popular PLA products that your company could consider include:

• PLA self-sealing insulation bags: Most used in the food and drink industry, these 100% biodegradable insulation bags guarantee solid heat prevention whilst preventing condensed water from escaping. They will keep your products fresh from point of packaging through to the delivery.

• PLA insulation felt with film: Like the self-sealing insulation bag, PLA insulation felt with film is 100% biodegradable and is used to keep food products cool during transit. The only difference being that the film offers more flexibility, allowing for adjustment to fit most carton sizes.

Insulated box liners

Insulated box liners are the perfect insulator for food industries as they provide excellent thermal and shock protection. Made from renewable plant-based components and paper, these box liners are OCC-E certified curbside recyclable with their primary material being kraft paper. They are also certified repulpable by Western Michigan’s University’s Pilot Plants Programme.

By switching to this solution, your business can replace unsustainable insulators such as Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene, as it performs just as well whilst also varying in thickness. The box liners ship and store flat until ready to be used, saving your company on costs and storage space.

Polystyrene EPS boxes

Polystyrene contains small air bubbles, meaning heat energy cannot flow through it. So, there is no wonder it is an effective thermal insulator for sensitive food products. Polystyrene EPS boxes are a reliable form of temperature controlled packaging as their tight-fitted lids and excellent insulation ensures that products stay at the right temperature throughout your delivery process.

Our moulded foam EPS boxes range is extensive and includes fish boxes, produce boxes and home delivery boxes, these provide high quality thermal performance for temperature sensitive and perishable produce. Additionally, they are lightweight, durable, and stackable and do not support biological growth.

Are you interested in using polystyrene EPS boxes? Register your interest with us today and discover more on how you can be using polystyrene to benefit your business.

Coolants

For food deliveries, it is crucial that the correct temperature at the start of the products journey is maintained through to the final destination. Therefore, ice packs, frozen gel packs and other coolant systems are often used for controlling temperature inside of chilled goods packaging.

Swiftpak provide a variety of gel packs that are engineered to ensure your food products are transported in a temperature controlled manner. These coolants are made from high-quality components that are durable and reusable, meeting the highest industry standards, they are also all available in a variety of sizes and weights:

• No Sweat Gel packs: no sweat gel packs have a non-woven out layer that reduces condensation ensuring your moisture and temperature sensitive products stay dry and chilled.
• Eco-friendly gel packs: available in different foil types and made from kraft paper, eco-friendly gel packs produce less pollution than the normal variety. The outside of the kraft paper absorbs the condense which appears whilst warming up, keeping your product dryer than the normal variety would.
• Segmented Gel packs: designed to better cover your products and produced to ensure conditioned transportation, the segmented range are also available in different foil types.
• Icepack sheets: produced according to food industry standards, this three-layer ice pack sheet is a strong solution that can be easily separated while frozen.

Temperature Indicators

With our temperature indicator range, your food business can monitor the temperature during shipping and storage, revealing whether goods have been exposed to unacceptable temperatures. An irreversible colour change will occur when there has been a temperature breach. By using a temperature indicator, you will be ensuring your packaging is performing correctly, and reducing packaging costs. Register your interest with us today.

Due to their delicate nature, its vital that food products are packaged with absolute care. That is why at Swiftpak we also design bespoke packaging solutions. Our temperature controlled packaging solutions will not only protect your products but also leave a lasting impression on your brand. Need to find out more on our packaging examples for your business? Contact our food and drink experts, Warrick and Rorke from our sales team for all the latest information.

SupaTak Machine Tape

If the entire package has to be stored in a chilled environment, we have the perfect tape solution for you to keep your boxes sealed. Ideal for long production runs, SupaTak Machine Tape performs well through all temperature ranges, including deep freeze. It is also resistant to splitting, abrasion and moisture, making it suitable for food packaging operations. One of the quickest ways to lose the right temperature is by air gaps, so having your boxes sealed properly is vitally important.

By using SupaTak machine tape, your business can be assured your food products remain fresh through transit.

At Swiftpak we offer a range of temperature controlled packaging that would be beneficial to food industries. If you are interested in changing to one of our packaging solutions, contact us today for more information.