Packaging of Fats and Oil
Packaging of Fats and Oil
Packaging of Fats and Oil
This allows a lot of scope to pursue the dangerous practice of adulterating the oil with less expensive and
unhygienic varieties. Due to adulteration of oil, deaths have been reported in Spain, Phillipines and India.
Consequently, the governments in these countries have taken a step forward to encourage use of inexpensive
safe and hygienic plastics packaging for edible oil. Plastic packaging provides safe hygienically packed oil at
competitive cost to consumers.
Tinplate Containers
Tinplate containers are widely used for packaging of edible oil. They ensure a long shelf-life and are
sturdy. They are also suitable for high filling and packaging operations. However, the disadvantages of
using a tinplate container are its high cost and uncertainty about availability.
Edible oil are packed in tinplate containers of different capacities – 500g, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg and 15kg. The
shape of the container may be round or square.
IS – 10339 : 1988 gives the specification for ghee and edible oil tins (500g, 1kg, and 5kg), whereas IS:
10325 – 1989 gives the specification for 15kg square tins for vanaspati and edible oil and ghee.
It is most unfortunate that reuse of tinplate containers is prevalent even though banned under
GSR 575 (E) dated 4/8/95. 15kg tinplate containers used for packaging of edible oil, use not
only seconds but also printed sheets, where inks could cause a major health hazard.
Though glass bottles provide excellent protection and can also be used for high-speed operation,
they are not commonly used for edible oil packaging because of their fragility and high tare
weight.
These are mainly plastic containers made from HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), PET (Polyethylene
Terephthalate) and PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). The advantage of using these containers is that they provide
a moderately long shelflife, are light in weight and are transport-worthy.
Although they do not provide as long a shelf-life as the tinplate container, they are economical as
compared to a tinplate container, and therefore, suitable for use where very long shelf-life is not required
Blow molded HDPE containers in the form of bottles (200g, 400g), jars (1kg and 2kg) and jerry cans (2kg, 5kg
and 15kg) are widely used specifications for blow molded HDPE containers for packaging of vanaspati.
With the introduction of PET bottles in the country, edible oil is one of the commodities being packed in 1 kg
stretch blow molded PET bottles.
PET bottles have excellent clarity, are odour–free and have good gas barrier properties. PET bottles are also
accepted internationally for edible oil packaging. IS: 12887 – 1989 gives specifications for PET bottles for edible
oil packaging.
Recently, food grade stretch blow moulded PVC bottles have been introduced for packaging of edible oil in
the country. PVC bottles have good clarity and excellent oil resistant properties. IS: 12883 –1989 gives
specifications for PVC bottles for edible oil packaging.
The other forms of semi – rigid containers recently introduced in the market are the bagin-box systems,
lined cartons and the tetra packs, for marketing edible oil, vanaspati and ghee.
Flexible pouches may be made from laminates or multi-layered films of different compositions.
The pouches may be in the form of pillow or as stand-up-pouches. Limited quantities of edible oil, vanaspati and
ghee are packed today in flexible pouches of 1 kg, 500 g and 200 g capacity.
The main advantage of packaging oil, vanaspati and ghee in flexible pouches is that they are more economical
than any other packaging system available for packaging of these products. IS: 12724 – 1989 gives the
requirements for flexible packaging materials for packaging refined edible oil.
The shelf-life factor is interrelated to the product quality when ready to pack as well as to the market
environment. It is of utmost importance that an economical optimum medium is chosen and this can
only be done if the quality parameters are fixed for the products at the time of packing.
Similarly, longer the shelf-life needed, higher would be the material specification. The task becomes more difficult
when the above two factors play concurrently. Consequently, the cost of packaging also goes up.
Thus, the primary factors that should be fixed are the shelf-life period, market conditions and initial values of
critical parameters of edible oil. The upper limits of various edible oil, vanaspati and ghee in respect of critical
factors as per the relevant standards are given in Table below.
Analysis of results from some studies in flexible packaging materials carried out indicate that flexibles with
appropriate thickness and specifications could be effectively deployed for edible oil, vanaspati and ghee
packaging, for medium and even for long shelf-life periods. The criteria that need specific consideration are
excellent barrier properties, good substrate bond and heat seal property. Amenability to machine run is yet
another important criterion.
Currently, flexible packaging for edible oil and vanaspati is being used only for 1kg and less quantity. The common
materials for producing composite film structures depend on the performance desired and include:
• Nylon 6 (PA-6)
• Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer (EVA)
• Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA)
• Polyester (PET)
These polymers are used either in co-extruded films or in laminates.
Structures
Based on the requirements, various laminated, 3 and 5 layer co-extruded structures have been developed. They
include:
• Typical Laminate Structure-PET + Adhesive + 3 Layer co-extruded LD/LLD film with primacor (EAA) as sealant
layer
• Typical 3 layer co-extruded film consists of LD+ LLD-HM HDPE-Primacor (EAA)
• Typical 5 layer co-extruded film consists of LD+LLD-Tie-Nylon 6-Tie-Primacor (EAA)
Generally HDPE blends with LD/LLD provide low MVTR in the co-extruded film and also avoids excessive
stiffness in the film which may result in failure during drop test. For low OTR, either Nylon-6 or Polyester
or other like polymers can be used depending on the structure and shelf-life required.
The success of the flexible pouch for packaging of edible oil and vanaspati has to a large measure, been on
account of the LLDPE content in the structure. LLDPE is a narrow molecular distribution copolymer having
butene-1and octene 1. In film form they have:
• Good impact strength
• Tensile strength
• Good puncture resistance
• Excellent hot tack seal strength
The blending of LLDPE with LDPE resin gives excellent hot tack and seal characteristics. LLDPE with
octene copolymer provides superior performance with regard to tensile strength, toughness, impact strength,
stress crack resistance and tear resistance, excellent hot tack and sealing through contamination etc.
The distribution of edible oil and vanaspati – common essential commodity for the masses, assumes greater
significance as the days progress. The growing health and hygiene problems due to adulteration and
increasing per capita consumption has increased the demand for safe delivery of the product to the
consumer. What is, therefore needed, is packaging at its most economical level.
If one compares the product sale cost v/s the packaging cost for various types of packages, the most
economical pack would be a flexible pouch.
While selecting a packaging medium, its effect on the environment needs to be considered, as solid
wastes are causing problems. Flexible plastic pouches, in comparison to other packaging systems, stand
to offer an advantage in reducing solid waste, as they are lighter in weight. Considering a pack of 1litre,
the approximate tare weights of different packaging media would be:
A variety of packaging materials/package types are used by the oil, vanaspati and ghee industries. The
Bureau of Indian Standards has drawn up specification details/ requirements, method of sampling,
tests of different packaging materials/packages used by the industry.
Table 6 gives a list of Indian Standards related to packaging of edible oil, vanaspati and ghee.
On account of being essential commodities, the edible oil, vanaspati and ghee are subjected to
the following regulatory legislations:
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act
• Directorate of Vegetable Oil Products
• Bureau of Indian Standards
• Directorate of Agricultural Marketing and Inspection
• Food & Drug Administration & Rationing Offices of State Governments in Essential
Commodities Act
• Ministry of Civil Supplies
• Package Commodities, Weights and Measures Act
• Occasional interstate transport restrictions imposed by State Government
Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices India
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Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices India
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