3 Safety Guidelines for Using Metal and Plastic Packaging

Plastic is everywhere. From your kitchen to your handbag, you find almost one plastic-based essential in almost every corner of your house.

While most plastic is harmless, some of its components may be worrisome. The responsibility to ensure that none of these harmful components make their way into the food we eat lies with manufacturers.

These include beverage companies, packaging services, and regulatory authorities. This is because plastic and metal containers are often and reused and the end-user isn’t always aware of the right and healthy food storage practices.

Let’s take you through some of these safety guidelines:

Be wary of health considerations

Packaging should be designed in a way that prevents microbial growth and contamination. The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States requires these plastic costumers to be tested for toxicity before they’re distributed in the market.

The manufacturer must test plastic containers for traces of chemicals that may have health effects. One of the most problematic ingredients is plastic is the phthalate.

Phthalates are also known as plasticizers and are mixed with vinyl plastics to make it softer and more flexible. As cited by the Harvard Medical School, removing this ingredient would make plastic safer for storage. However, the manufacturer may have to use another softening chemical instead of this one.

Pay attention to the handling

You need to be extra careful about leakages and spillage if you sell liquid products. Even if one vial in a carton starts leaking, it can ruin the plastic labels of all the vials. The best way to do so is to trust a packaging service that ships containers under strict guidelines set by the FDA. Always ask your service if they use Ziplocs and corrugated boxes that are manufactured according to state regulations.

We recommend using designer poly mailers to get the plastic container shipped. This is a special blend of Polyethylene that’s strong and tear-resistant. Since they’re light-weight, they also reduce your shipping costs. An added benefit is that the plastic odor doesn’t stick to the container or linger on, making it ideal for reuse.

Invest in glass containers

We’re here to tell you that glass is a better and safer container option than most plastic and metal. Here are some of the benefits:

a. Glass is better for the environment. There are hardly any toxins involved in manufacturing, recycling or disposing of glass. Plastic trash is filling up our landfill sites faster than any other substance is. On the other hand, glass is easily recyclable and the process doesn’t compromise the container’s quality.

b. Glass is a safer option since it’s inert and non-porous. Since there are no pores, there are fewer chances of microbial invasion and spillage. Glass doesn’t react with any substances from the environment to produce harmful chemicals.

c. Glass is better at handling the heat. It will never melt under the influence of high temperatures like plastic will.

d. Because of its transparency, glass looks fancier and gives the product a sophisticated and classy look.

e. Glass doesn’t get much stained and scratched during shipping like plastic would. It’ll neither get discolored nor will the shape will be compromised.

Premium Vials is a worldwide distributor of top quality plastic and glass containers. The company is heavily invested in making sure the processes are FDA-compliant. Visit their website to take a look at their collection of bottles, jars, and flasks.