Hygiene aspects of packaging in the food industry

Abstract The microbiology of a food can be profoundly influenced by the surrounding package. The microorganisms present on the packaging material may need to be considered along with those of the product. This paper considers the microbial flora of the package. It describes some of the hygiene problems which have arisen in a large company manufacturing packaging and the measures taken to overcome them. Types of packing covered include: metal containers; paper and board; metal/board composites; plastic packaging materials; glass and caps. Whilst much of the information had been derived from many years of manufacturing experience, some published data are included to complete the survey.