Plastic Food Packaging and Food Boxes Packaging: which One is Better?

Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulfur and Hydrogen are some of the elements from periodic table which are used to make various plastics which then help to make so many products. Some transparent plastics are durable and can be used to make safety goggles and eyeglasses. While some plastics are stronger and have lesser weight which makes them a suitable candidate to carry heavy things. Plastics are bacteria-resistant also which is why they’re used in the packaging of food and some equipment also.

Plastics are mainly helpful for food packaging because of the protection and safety they offer to food and ultimately end up extending the food’s freshness.

Kinds of Plastics Used for Food Packaging

You must have seen the numbers from 1 to 7, written on plastic food packaging boxes. It’s actually a code which is also called Recycling number. This guides the consumers about whether the plastic food packaging box is easily recyclable or not. Let’s take a look at each plastic food packaging box from recycling number 1 to 7 and see where they can be used.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

PET is a plastic having very less weight which is rigid also. This property makes it impact-resistant which is why it is mostly used for food packaging and also for cargo services. It is mostly used for food packaging of different food items such as ketchup, peanut butter, vitamins, water bottles and soft drinks. One of the most important advantages of it is that it can be recycled easily. So, it is a plastic which is used widely across the world.

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

This kind of plastic is hard and opaque also, lighter in weight and as strong as a rigid solid. It is particularly used for packaging of milk. An HDPE milk container has very less weight, almost 2 ounces but it is capable of carrying no less than a gallon of milk. That’s the reason why HDPE food packaging boxes are widely used for juices, milk, vinegar and other such dense stuff. They are also used for making grocery bags. Its recycling number also ensures that it is recyclable which is another addition to its features.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

PVC is mainly made up of chlorine which is biologically as well as chemically resistant which is why they help the material inside them to stay safe, even the air cannot affect it. Mainly, medicines are packed in such plastic packaging boxes because they are to be transported to larger distances. Also, being biologically resistant, they work as food packaging boxes also. Moreover, they can also be recycled which is why PVC is always in demand.

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

LDPE is thinner in comparison with HDPE or other resins but one of its features that makes it useful is its heat resistance property. Also, it is flexible and rigid which is why it is mostly used in food packaging of coffees, bread, fruits as well as vegetables. It’s recyclable or not is based on whether it is rigid or film. All in all, despite being good enough, it cannot be compared to HDPE which is way too efficient.

Polypropylene (PP)

Polypropylene is also stiff but its brittleness is less as compared to other plastics. It can either be made opaque or transparent. Its high melting point makes it suitable for use to make products used in microwave ovens. It is also used to make cheese containers; syrup containers and other such disposal food packaging boxes. PP is also recyclable.

Polystyrene (PS)

PS is a hard plastic and has very less flexibility. Still, it can be molded into various shapes in order to make forks and spoons. As far as food packaging is concerned, it is helpful in making plastic cups, fast food containers as well as lids of those containers. They are also recyclable which makes them an interesting choice to make takeaway boxes.

Other Kinds of Plastics

Any kind of plastic that is not made of the above-mentioned types will also be considered good for food packaging boxes, given the condition that it is good enough to carry food’s weight and keep it heat resistant. All in all, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to have HDPE, LDPE or any other kind of plastic for your usage.

Food Packaging Boxes

It isn’t necessary for a food packaging box to be made of plastic only, it may be made of paper or any such thing. In the past, opeh and banana leaves were also used to serve food and this trend is still common in Hawker centers of Singapore where there are vendors serving food in paper boxes to make people feel the nostalgia. These materials include kraft paper boxes (quite different from food packaging boxes and help to secure the goods), oil paper, opeh leaf (it infuses a fragrance into the dish and enhances the flavors), banana leaf (it releases antioxidants when food is put on it) and last but not the least, the boat trays (for packaging fries, hot dogs, hamburgers and other such stuff). All these takeaway boxes are still common and the younger generation may take some inspiration from those who’re using these to get to know the demerits of using plastic for food packaging.

If we talk about Singapore, there are various suppliers which you may contact if you want to have some takeaway boxes made of plastic or paper. Or you can also contact the vendors wandering around to get to know where you can get good quality disposal food packaging boxes. They’ll guide you better than anyone else for sure. One more option, if you want to find the best food container suppliers by yourself is to just google the companies that are good at it and providing the people with inexpensive boxes. You’ll be able to get whatever you want in no time. Some companies or food packaging suppliers in Singapore offer free delivery also which is another benefit for you. So, make sure that you choose the right food container supplier Singapore to get the job done for you within the required time.

Comparison of Plastic Food Packaging and Food Boxes Packaging

Plastics are so much in demand that you may get confused while comparing one plastic to another, however, what differentiates them is whether the plastic is recyclable or not. If it is, there is no better option than it. But if it isn’t, don’t go for it because it’s going to provide you with more harm than good. So, in order to avoid any issue in future, it is better not to choose it before.

Despite the fact that plastic is rigid, light weight, easy to handle and can carry heavy loads easily, keeps the food and other stuff safe and sound, you must not prefer it when it comes to your own self. The reason is that most doctors recommend not to use plastic even if someone at the death bed needs it because it causes more harm than good. People from around the world, particularly from Asian countries use the plastic food packaging boxes and throw them anywhere they want. This leads to the disturbance in the quality of water present beneath the earth’s surface which we all use to drink, to wash the dishes and to take a shower. All in all, ☐despite having so many good qualities, the use of plastic must be reduced as much as possible to get rid of further problems.

Paper, as compared to plastic is a great contender to be used for disposal food packaging. There are some qualities of plastics that aren’t found in paper, one of them is the ability to resist heat. Paper starts to burn when heat is given to it, oil paper is exception. Apart from that, paper cannot be used to carry heavy load unless its layer is doubled. Moreover, paper is unable to keep the food warm in most cases when it is used to make food packaging boxes. But still, it is preferred by many because of all of its benefits associated with human health. Plastic is also the main cause of cancer which paper isn’t. So, make sure that you don’t look for ease when it comes to your health and choose something which is more beneficial for health.

Conclusion

Takeaway boxes are made up of various kinds of plastics and paper. Plastics have so many advantages as well as disadvantages, it’s better to keep all such things aside while discussing what to prefer but some factors that must not be overlooked include the diseases caused by plastics. Paper, in comparison to plastic is a widely used material and has all the advantages. So, whenever you contact a food container supplier in Singapore to provide you with quality takeaway boxes, you must ask him/her whether it is in demand or not.

The restrictions implemented by the governments in foreign countries are surely valid and for the betterment of their people. But no such thing is valid in Asian countries which is why they lack so many things, one of them is maturity. So, either paper or plastic, the one that is more beneficial for human health must be your first priority.