A good quality product should also be packaged and presented well. Packaging materials protect processed products during storage.
Packaging materials used should be strong enough to withstand the type of handling the product will be exposed to and act as a barrier against moisture, oxygen and unwanted matter entering the product. The type of packaging material chosen should however be relatively inexpensive and where possible purchased locally. The package must also be sealed well in order to prevent oxygen, moisture and other unwanted material from entering the product and reducing the storage life of the product.
When using glass jars for preserving root crops as jam the following issues should be noted. Only glass jars which are intact should be used. Glass jars should be inspected for cracks. Jars with cracks (no matter how fine), especially around the neck of the jar, should be discarded. Cracks along the neck of the jars prevent a good air tight seal forming when the lid is screwed on. All jars and lids should be sterilised prior to use.
There are many forms of plastic packaging materials. Different types of plastic are suited to different packaging requirements - that is some are moisture proof or do not allow gases to enter the product (or both). The most commonly used plastic films are: polyethylene (polythene) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Polythene is milky white in colour and slightly greasy to touch. It is highly permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide and slightly absorbs oils, grease and organic liquid vapours. The advantages of polythene are that it has a low permeability to water at normal temperatures and is low in cost. PVC is the strongest and most barrier proof plastic of those mentioned above. It is a transparent, strong plastic. If using PVC for food use, then it should have been made using non-toxic plasticisers or be lead free unplasticised PVC. Cellulose film is also widely used in food packaging but it is very permeable to water vapour and is not very strong. and cannot be subjected to heat sealing. Cellulose film is usually used for wrapping rather than packaging foods.
In order to seal plastic bags, heat needs to be applied. Sealing plastic bags with an elastic band does not provide an adequate seal to keep out moisture. There are specially designed plastic bag sealers (view image) available on the market.
Plastic bags can be heat sealed using a wax candle and hacksaw blade (view image). However, this method is not recommended for use on a commercial scale operation but could be used to seal plastic bags at the household level. To seal plastic bags using this method you will require a wax candle, hacksaw blade or flat piece of thin metal and matches. Light the candle. Fold the edge of the plastic bag over the teeth of the hack-saw blade. Lightly pass the folded edge of plastic through the candle flame. Remove the hacksaw blade and check that the seam is well sealed.
After packaging it is important to clearly label the packages. Products must be clearly labelled with all necessary information. Appropriate Government authorities should be approached concerning information which has to be presented on product labels by law. There may also be legal requirements regarding the designs of labels used. This type of information is usually available from either the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade and Commerce or Ministry of Agriculture. Whether labelling products for domestic or commercial use, labels should always state basic information such as the
For commercial operations, the
should also be presented. Labels can be hand written as long as the information is written in very clear print and permanent ink is used. The use of adhesive labels on the outside of the package is advised. Placing labels inside a clear, plastic bag is not advised.
