On a per capita basis, food waste costs the U.S. economy more than $200 billion per year, according to a white paper released by the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment (AMERIPEN), St. Paul, Minn. With the many ways in which food is lost or discarded – from harvest through consumption – it’s no wonder that food spoilage and waste are considered significant sustainability concerns.
Advances in packaging technology play a critical role in minimizing food waste by preventing the ingress of microorganisms, oxidation and moisture, all of which have an adverse effect on shelf life. While many food manufacturers that use flexible packaging aim to thwart these threats by choosing the right film and establishing appropriate sealing parameters, there is another, often overlooked, part of the equation—how airtight the package is.