Aluminum foil containers are green packaging materials. They are made of aluminum foil that has been melted and rolled through multiple processes after the original aluminum alloy has been melted. It is safe to come into contact with food and can be recycled indefinitely. It has been widely used in the catering industry and food packaging.
It has been used in the field of food packaging for more than 100 years due to its good barrier properties, light weight, strong UV resistance, and good moisture-proof and anti-corrosion effects. Especially during World War II, due to the war’s need for food shelf life, aluminum foil food packaging has entered into rapid development. By 1948, food was packaged in formed aluminum foil containers. By 2020, aluminum foil lunch boxes will usher in new development opportunities. So, why is aluminum foil used as the raw material for the production of lunch boxes?
Main Reasons
Barrier
Firstly, aluminum foil has high barrier properties. Aluminum foil has high barrier properties against water, water vapor, various gases (including aromatic substances) and light, and the barrier properties are not affected by ambient temperature and humidity. It can be used for air-tight fragrance-preserving packaging, moisture-proof packaging, etc. that require high barrier properties. In packaging situations (especially food packaging for high-temperature cooking and sterilization), it can prevent moisture absorption, oxidation, evaporation and deterioration of the contents. Therefore, aluminum foil is safe for contact with food and will not harbor or encourage the growth of bacteria. In most cases, aluminum foil will not react with food.
Heat Conduction
Secondly, it has good thermal conductivity, heat resistance and low temperature resistance. Aluminum foil can withstand high-temperature cooking and other thermal processing, has good thermal conductivity (thermal conductivity can reach 55%), and does not produce harmful substances after heating; at the same time, aluminum foil is also suitable for frozen packaging, has good low-temperature resistance, and aluminum foil can be used at high temperatures. It can maintain stable shape and size at low temperatures.
The thermal stability of aluminum foil allows aluminum foil containers to well withstand temperature changes during processing and packaging. The molecular structure is stable and does not change at high and low temperatures from -20ยฐC to 250ยฐC. It can be used at temperatures from flash freezing to extreme baking and grilling without deforming, cracking, melting or burning, and producing no harmful substances. Use aluminum foil to separate high-temperature charcoal fire and smoke to prevent food from burning and producing carcinogens. Aluminum foil lunch boxes and containers are ideal for autoclaving and heat sealing. Aluminum foil lunch box containers can be heated in a variety of ways, including using various ovens, broilers, oxygen-free heating cabinets, steamers, steamers, microwaves (must be used on light wave and grill settings), pressure cookers, etc.
Easy to Shape
Thirdly, it is easy to process and shape, convenient to seal, and ensures food hygiene. Aluminum foil has good formability and will not crack or break even in the wrinkles and curling parts during the tableware stamping process. Aluminum foils of different shapes, thicknesses, alloys and heat treatment states can be selected as needed to accurately reflect the product’s purpose. Aluminum foil lunch boxes and containers can use lids made of the same aluminum foil material, or lids made of paper or other materials. Its easy deformation and wrinkle characteristics can be used to achieve a good seal, with strong heat preservation and freshness preservation capabilities, which can avoid food being in the If there is leakage or contamination during storage and transportation, for large food delivery companies and central kitchen distribution, automatic capping equipment developed by aluminum foil lunch box manufacturers can be used to improve distribution efficiency, and the effect is significantly better than lunch boxes made of other materials.
Recyclable
Fourthly, it facilitates efficient recycling and reuse. Aluminum has extremely high recyclability and regenerability, can be recycled and reused indefinitely, and can maintain its original characteristics. The energy required for the recycling process of aluminum foil is less than 5% of the energy required for primary aluminum production, and greenhouse gas emissions are 95% less than primary aluminum. Aluminum foil lunch boxes can be easily compressed after use and are easy to sort, thereby reducing the amount of waste generated. In addition, aluminum foil lunch boxes also have good decorative properties, highlighting product differentiation and class.
Other Disposable Containers
Long-term use of disposable lunch boxes will have adverse effects on the kidneys, liver, etc. of the human body. The ingredients of disposable lunch boxes are some difficult-to-degrade compounds, which themselves carry certain toxins. If they are used to hold high-temperature food, the toxins will be transferred to the food, thereby adversely affecting the organs of the human body.
In the production of foam lunch boxes, Freon is used as a foaming agent, and the main raw material is polystyrene. As we all know, Freon is an ozone-depleting substance that will cause ozone holes in the atmosphere. And polystyrene is a carcinogenic substance that will cause reproductive dysfunction.
According to relevant experts, these disposable foamed plastic tableware will produce toxins and carcinogens that are harmful to the human body at high temperatures above 65 degrees Celsius. “Dioxin” is a toxic chlorine-containing compound. It is the most toxic of the world’s known toxic compounds, and it is extremely carcinogenic. It can cause serious skin diseases and harm the fetus, and it may also feminize men; the direct and indirect treatment costs of one ton of disposable foamed plastic waste are more than 10 times its original output value.
Why Use Aluminum Foil Trays
Various food pans produced using aluminum foil can be processed into various shapes and are widely used in packaging in food fields such as pastry baking, airline catering, takeout, and cooked food. Aluminum foil pans have good thermal conductivity and can be safely used in ovens and microwave ovens. They are safe and hygienic to use, without odor or leakage.
At present, heat-sealed aluminum foil containers are resistant to high temperature and high pressure and can be heat-sealed. They are the new favorites of the sealing packaging industry and the pharmaceutical industry. The “heat-sealed lid” is easy to open, has a 100% barrier layer, and can be sterilized at high temperature.