The increasing types of culinary businesses and food delivery service has come with the rising use of food packaging.
Coming with this trend are few concerns. Currently, there are still many food and beverage providers, as well as culinary business owners who have not paid enough attention to the importance of food grade safety and standards in food packaging.
In addition, the increasing use of food packaging, especially those made of plastic, also has an impact on the environment. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) even estimates that the amount of plastic waste in the oceans will exceed the amount of fish by 2050.
Considering these, it is crucial for culinary businesses to start recognizing and using food grade food packaging, and prioritizing the use of environmentally friendly packaging.
Get to know the types of food grade product packaging
Having been applied by several prominent companies in the world, food grade is a confirmation in which the packaging is safe for direct contact with food and beverages. There are four types of food packaging included in the food grade category: paper, plastic, cans or metal, and glass.
Thanks to food grade packaging, the food and beverages in it are safe when consumed, as it has no risk of migrating chemicals or other components in the packaging to contaminate food ingredients.
A packaging can be categorized as food grade when it meets food safety standards, is made from virgin pulp and not recycled materials, and is produced according to good manufacturing practices or Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) with a hazard analysis system and critical point control or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). These standards help to guarantee the safety of food grade packaging.
Distinguishing food grade and non-food grade paper
Although paper is one of the food grade packaging materials, in fact not all types of paper have met national and international standards. Generally, food grade and non-food grade paper packaging can be easily distinguished by naked eye.
Food grade packaging paper is made from virgin pulp, where the fiber is naturally white and contains no recycled fiber at all. This type of paper is also in accordance with the food safety aspect.
In contrast, non-food grade paper types are made of or contain recycled fiber. This type of paper has a high content of dirt and printing ink. Other than harmful, these impurities will easily migrate from paper packaging to foodstuffs.
In addition, non-food grade paper is easily translucent when used, as the packaging becomes easily dented or soft when stored in the refrigerator and can change the smell and taste of the packaged food ingredients.
However, not all non-food grade aspects can be seen visually. When analyzed in the laboratory, non-food grade paper also contains heavy metals, synthetic chemicals, and other hazardous materials.
Hazards of chemicals in non-food grade food packaging
Direct contact between hazardous chemicals and the human body will certainly have a negative impact on health. This is the case with the use of non-food grade packaging, which is not designed as food packaging.
The danger is, the more often it is used, the consumers of food or beverages packaged with non-food grade food will continue to be in contact with hazardous chemicals. Revealed in a scientific journal titled ‘Tackling the Toxics in Plastics Packaging’, this can pose a risk of dangerous diseases, one of which is cancer.
To prevent these risks and dangers, you can use food grade food packaging for your culinary business now. One of the food grade food packaging options is Foopak Bio Natura, which not only meets domestic and international food safety standards but is also environmentally friendly.
Foopak Bio Natura is a product of APP Sinar Mas, one of the paper producers in Indonesia that has produced various types of paper, both paper for food and non-food packaging.
The Foopak Bio Natura is a type of food grade food and beverage packaging paper that has received recyclable (recyclable), biodegradable (biodegradable) and compostable (compostable) certifications for both industrial and home compostable.
Made from 100% virgin pulp, the Foopak Bio Natura packaging is waterproof, does not contain optical bleaching agents (OBA free), is plastic free, has heat seal capability, and can be heated in a microwave or oven.
As a unique recyclable and repulpable food grade food packaging solution, Foopak Bio Natura has been used by domestic and foreign culinary businesses such as in Australia, America, England, and Taiwan, since 2018.
Various food packaging products from Foopak Bio Natura are very suitable for online culinary businesses as well as ready-to-eat food with an eco-friendly and innovative appearance, ranging from paper cups for drinks and ice cream, paper bowls, to lunch boxes.
If you are a culinary business or the like, it is never too late to start prioritizing the safety and health of your consumers. It's time to use food grade food packaging that is safe for health and at the same time helps keeping our planet green with Foopak Bio Natura!
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(Tribunnews.com, September 30, 2021)