Saturday, March 9, 2013

Food Service And Packaging NY




Issues regarding food service and packaging

One of the necessary aspects of the food service, grocery, and restaurant industries is the wrapping or packaging that certain foods are wrapped and served or sold in, depending on which industry you are talking about. Basically, food service and packaging go together like love and marriage as the need for packaging dates back to the time that foods began being transported throughout the US. However, the EPA and other environmental agencies contend that packaging is oftentimes excessive.

Dealing with techniques to make tamper-proof products for protection of food items, food packaging is a multi-million dollar industry. With stringent quality standards, food packaging requires the nutritional information of the food for the consumer to get the maximum information about the nutrition content.

There are numerous issues that relate in the designing to the production stage of the packaging material, in the food service industry. This includes raw material sourcing, project management, manufacturing and distribution of final product. Using high quality, toxic-free packaging is the basis of the food service industry requirement.

The environment and landfills throughout the US have had to deal with tons of food service and packaging waste such as bags, bottles, plastic, and other types of wrappers that are used for food packaging, plastic food packaging, or take-out packaging. Although numerous efforts are put into recycling, it doesn’t solve the problem. Usage of biodegradable packaging and green recycling is the only viable solution for the future of food service and packaging industry.

Benefits of packaging

However, there are certain benefits to using food packaging, plastic food packaging, and take-out packaging made from different types of materials. First and foremost, packaging protects numerous foods from spoiling, bruising and especially germs. Usually, consumer information, ingredients, and the nutritional value of the item are listed on the outside of the packaging since it is required by federal law. Additionally, the shelf life of the item is increased by the presence of packaging.

Examples of excessive packaging

One of the best examples of excessiveness in the food service and packaging industry are tea bags. The tea leaves themselves are first package in bags, placed in rows in a box, and then wrapped in a plastic in order to be placed on the shelf in restaurants and stores. One way that the excessive packaging is eliminated is by purchasing the tea leaves loose and then using an individual tea strainer to prepare the tea.

There is a possible solution to excessive food packaging or plastic food packaging and take-out packaging where the food service industry is concerned, especially with fruits and vegetables. One solution is to purchase these foods loosely. Another solution involves using biodegradable packaging. For instance, cardboard could be used instead of plastic. Smaller, individually wrapped items should be avoided whenever possible. To minimize packaging waste, consider purchasing your items in large containers.

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