Food waste is one of the most serious problems we are facing in terms of sustainability. Every year, over 100 billion pounds of food is lost during the production process or thrown out and wasted. One of the main contributing factors to this is improper packaging. Fortunately, food packaging can be improved with the use of automated equipment. Here are a few of the ways food packaging automation can eliminate food waste. 

Improving Quality Control

Automated food packaging systems can help ensure that every product meets regulatory standards before leaving the production line. With manual processes, they sometimes go through inspection after they’re packaged, which could lead to contamination of other products on the line. With better quality control, you can be confident that products will be safe and intact when they reach customers

Making Food Safer for Consumers

Temperature-related spoilage often happens due to errors in the food packaging process. We now have packaging that contains freshness monitors, as well as trackers for quality control and recalls. Between these two functions, food has become much safer for consumers through the automation of food packaging. 

Control Moisture Within Packaging

Automating the packaging process ensures that it will be done correctly, and one major way this reduces food waste is through moisture control. When a food that should be dry is wet, or vice versa, it will more than likely be thrown out by the consumer. Keeping food as moist or dry as it should be can help eliminate this problem.

Keeping Shelf-Stable Foods Fresh Longer

With a rise in snack food consumption, there’s an increased demand for pre-packaged food that will last as long as possible before going stale or spoiling. With proper packaging, these foods can stay fresh for longer periods of time, leading to a decrease in the amount of waste they generate. 

Packaging automation has helped several industries reduce waste, and with food production, reducing waste and improving safety are of the utmost importance. If you’re looking for resources to help with your food production processes, give Pollock Orora a call at 972-263-2126 or reach out online.