Proper frozen food packaging for small business is crucial for two primary reasons. Small businesses like restaurants rely on overstock to drive down the bottom line and freeze materials for later. This practice provides easy access rather than creating additional waste and lost profits. Small businesses also need advanced frozen food packaging if the products they sell are frozen products. No small business can afford the monetary loss of spoiled food and wasted packaging if the materials are not up to par. Frozen food packaging is vital for both the health and growth of small businesses in the food industry.

How To Properly Package Frozen Food

Small businesses must first be aware of the health department guidelines in their local area and county. Following certification, companies are kept up to date on packaging procedures from the local health department. Frozen food can be packaged individually or in connected packaging. All food must first be brought to the correct temperature for the product that is being frozen. To ensure that products are hitting the shelves in their prime, businesses should:

• Complete appropriate sanitation procedures
• Use fresh ingredients
• Avoid cross-contamination
• Package directly after the product has cooled
• Freeze the product immediately after packaging

Ways To Increase Freshness

Businesses can increase freshness by following sell-by guidance and details on when products are best consumed. Businesses can also use high barrier film that blocks light, air, and moisture from penetrating the packaging. Restaurants that freeze ingredients to reduce waste and to use in later recipes follow different guildies. Restaurants use the FIFO method, first in, first out. All products are dated and used by the oldest date first. Thus, the first item that went in the fridge should be the first item out of the freezer for use. Proper packaging can also increase freshness. Choosing the correct frozen food packaging for small business can save money in the long term. Quality packaging should share the following characteristics:

• Protects from extreme temperatures
• Complete seal with resealable options
• High barrier films
• Durable yet flexible for storage
• Custom mylar bags keep foods from leaching freezer smells

How To Decrease Waste

Frozen food packaging can also be sustainable. Gone are the days when frozen food packaging meant that waste leftover was going straight to the dump. Now companies like ePac flexible packaging use recyclable and post-consumer recycled materials to reduce waste and improve sustainable production. Decreasing waste isn’t about just reducing the amount of trash that goes into a landfill, though that is also an important goal. Reducing waste is also about keeping a healthy bottom line and staying out of the red. When businesses use quality frozen food packaging, they reduce spending waste too. Less product is lost when packaging is durable and efficient. Further, shipping and store shelving is less of a concern because flexible packaging is resistant to punctures or other damage in transit that small business owners are all too familiar with.

Contact ePac flexible packaging to learn more about how frozen food packaging could improve the quality of your product and your bottom line.