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+86 180 9206 4152
Online store always open
Learn how to choose the right food packaging for your products. Simple guidance on materials, safety, sustainability, and industry-specific packaging options.
Choosing the right food packaging is one of the most important decisions for any food business. Whether you’re selling baked goods, coffee, chocolate, pet treats, frozen foods, or fresh produce, the packaging you choose directly affects safety, shelf life, transportation, and customer trust.
This guide explains how to select the right packaging based on your product type, materials, sustainability needs, and industry standards. You don’t need technical knowledge—everything is explained in simple, practical terms.
Food packaging does far more than hold your product. It protects freshness, prevents contamination, improves shelf stability, and ensures compliance with food-safety regulations. Good packaging also helps maintain temperature conditions for items like ice packaging and frozen food packaging.
Some products require high protection—like coffee packaging, tea packaging, vacuum packaging bags, and chocolate packaging. Others rely more on presentation and convenience, such as cookie packaging, fruit packaging, or food packaging personalized bakery.
Growing trends such as eco friendly food packaging, compostable food packaging, and plant-based packaging films are also reshaping how businesses make packaging decisions.
Each food item reacts differently to air, moisture, temperature, and light. Understanding these sensitivities helps you choose the right packaging:
Dry snacks & cookies → moisture-proof cookie packaging
Aromatic foods (coffee, tea, spices) → strong odor barrier coffee packaging or tea packaging
Soft or meltable foods → insulated or foil-based chocolate packaging
Cold-chain items → durable ice packaging, anti-fog frozen food packaging
Fresh fruits & vegetables → breathable fruit packaging with vent holes
Medical-grade foods → specialized Oliver healthcare packaging
Pet treats & kibble → resealable pet food packaging
Meals requiring long shelf life → vacuum packaging bags or MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging)
Choosing the right material impacts performance, price, and environmental impact.
Ideal for:
Bakeries, cafes, confectionery
Custom food packaging and food packaging personalized bakery
Benefits:
Printable
Eco-friendly options available
Good for dry foods
Ideal for:
Frozen meals, liquids, ready-to-eat foods
Benefits:
Lightweight
Moisture-resistant
Strong sealing properties
Low-difficulty keyword included: lightweight packaging solutions
Ideal for:
Coffee, tea, chocolate, greasy foods
Benefits:
Strong oxygen and moisture protection
Long shelf life
Examples:
Sugarcane fiber
PLA bioplastic
Compostable food packaging
Eco friendly food packaging
These options reduce environmental impact but may not suit high-moisture or greasy products without a protective lining.
Barrier performance determines how long your food stays fresh.
Oxygen barrier → for coffee, chocolate, meat
Moisture barrier → for cookies, snacks, grains
Light barrier → for oils, chocolate, tea
Odor barrier → for pet food, spices
Heat resistance → for microwave-safe foods (trending: microwave-safe containers)
Vacuum packaging bags and oxygen-free packaging are excellent for extending shelf life.
If your product has a short shelf life, packaging must slow down spoilage.
Use vacuum packaging bags for meat, cheese, nuts, and dried foods.
For fresh produce, use MAP packaging (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) to extend freshness.
For bakery items, use moisture-resistant film to prevent sogginess.
Great for: meat, cheese, nuts, dried seafood
Benefits:
Removes oxygen
Prevents spoilage
Supports long-distance shipping
Low-difficulty keyword: oxygen-free packaging bags
Great for: cookies, pastries, bread, desserts
Improves presentation
Helps small businesses differentiate
Allows custom sizes and branding
Keywords included: cookie packaging, food packaging personalized bakery
Requires strong aroma protection
Often uses foil laminates
Degassing valves for fresh coffee
Trending keyword: aroma-lock pouches
Heat-sensitive
Requires foil or insulated materials
Prevents melting and odor absorption
Needs materials that resist cracking at low temperatures
Anti-fog films for visibility
Often includes resealable zippers
Strong odor protection
Durable bags to avoid tears
Ventilation is critical
Often uses compostable trays
Suitable for berries, apples, citrus, grapes
Great for: cookies, pastries, bread, desserts
Improves presentation
Helps small businesses differentiate
Allows custom sizes and branding
Keywords included: cookie packaging, food packaging personalized bakery
Consumers increasingly expect sustainable options—and businesses want packaging that reduces waste.
Compostable bags and trays
Bioplastics (PLA)
Recyclable kraft paper
Plant-based packaging films
It’s important to choose eco-friendly materials that still protect the product. For example:
Compostable bags work well for dry foods.
Greasy or moist foods may still require hybrid materials.
Frozen foods need stronger plastics.
Food packaging must be safe for direct food contact.
Key points to consider:
Look for “food-grade” or “FDA-compliant food packaging.”
Check if materials are BPA-free.
Understand temperature limits (microwave-safe, freezer-safe).
Packaging cost depends on material, printing, size, and order quantity.
To avoid overpaying:
Use lightweight materials to reduce shipping costs.
Choose standard sizes when possible.
Test samples before mass production.
Consider whether custom packaging adds real value.
Choosing the right food packaging means understanding global safety standards, materials compliance, and the certifications required for food-contact packaging such as coffee packaging, cookie packaging, frozen food packaging, pet food packaging, vacuum packaging bags, and eco friendly food packaging. The table below summarizes key mandatory and commonly requested certifications.
| Country / Region | Mandatory Certifications | Commonly Required for Brands | Typical Packaging Types Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (USA) |
FDA 21 CFR Food Contact Compliance GRAS Materials FCN (Food Contact Notification) |
Prop 65 Compliance BPI Compostable Certification (for compostable food packaging) |
Coffee packaging, chocolate packaging, frozen food packaging, vacuum packaging bags |
| European Union (EU) |
EC 1935/2004 (Food Contact Materials) EC 10/2011 (Plastic Materials) EC 2023/2006 (GMP) |
EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) EN 13432 Compostability |
Tea packaging, compostable food packaging, custom food packaging |
| United Kingdom (UK) |
UK Retained EU Regulation 1935/2004 UK Plastic FCM Regulations |
BRCGS Packaging Certification | Bakery packaging, cookie packaging, eco friendly food packaging |
| China |
GB 4806 Series (Food Contact Materials) GB 31604 Migration Testing SC Production License |
China RoHS (for inks/coatings) FSC Certification (paper packaging) |
Fruit packaging, frozen food packaging, tea packaging |
| Japan |
Food Sanitation Act Positive List (PL) for Food-Contact Materials |
Aroma-barrier testing (for coffee packaging) | Coffee packaging, tea packaging, foodstuff packaging |
| Canada |
Health Canada Food Contact Guidelines CFIA Compliance (label interaction) |
Compostability certifications for eco friendly food packaging | Chocolate packaging, bakery packaging, custom food packaging |
| Australia & New Zealand | FSANZ Food Contact Standards | ISO 22000, HACCP (for packaging factories) | Frozen food packaging, vacuum packaging bags, pet food packaging |
| Middle East (GCC) | G-Mark Conformity (selected materials) | Halal-compatible material requirements | Foodstuff packaging, spice packaging, fruit packaging |
| Germany (Special) | LFGB Certification (Stricter than EU) | Additional migration tests (paper, plastics, coatings) | Chocolate packaging, bakery packaging, cookie packaging |
These certifications ensure that materials used in container and packaging, ice packaging, fruit packaging, custom food packaging, and food packaging personalized bakery products meet international safety requirements and protect both food quality and consumer health.
FDA (USA)
EC 10/2011 (EU plastic)
GB 4806 (China)
Migration tests for low temperature durability
Not technically “food,” but increasingly follows human food standards
HACCP
FDA (USA) if touching edible pet food
FSC or compostable certification for eco lines
Oxygen transmission rate (OTR) test
Moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) test
FDA or EU plastic compliance
Oil resistance testing
FDA/EU paper compliance
Greaseproof certification (if applicable)
Aluminum migration tests (for foil)
Aroma barrier testing
Compostable certification (for PLA/biobased packaging)
Vacuum-sealed bags, durable stand-up pouches, and corrugated boxes for protection.
Compostable breaks down naturally; recyclable must be processed at a recycling facility.
When shelf life and freshness are top priority—ideal for meat, nuts, cheese, and dried foods.
Sometimes, but prices have decreased significantly. Costs also depend on order size.
Measure product dimensions, consider space for sealing, and always order a sample first.
Choosing the right food packaging involves understanding your product’s needs, selecting the right materials, ensuring safety, and balancing cost with performance. Whether you need cookie packaging, coffee packaging, fruit packaging, vacuum packaging bags, custom food packaging, or eco friendly food packaging, the key is to match the packaging to your product’s characteristics and shelf-life requirements.
Smart packaging choices help protect your food, reduce waste, and create a better experience for your customers.
If you know how to choose a professional food packaging companies, or if you’re unsure how to customize your food packaging, please contact our expert team.
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