The flavor of pet food has a vital impact on the appetite and eating experience of pets, and the odor barrier effect of pet food packaging film and bags plays a key role in protecting the flavor of pet food.
First of all, the choice of packaging materials is the basis for determining the odor barrier effect. Like aluminum foil composite materials, it has excellent gas barrier properties and can effectively block the penetration of oxygen, water vapor and various odor molecules. For pet foods rich in fat and strong in odor, such as some canned fish pet foods, the aluminum foil layer can prevent the oxidation of fats and produce odors, and firmly lock the original aroma of the food, so that pets can enjoy fresh and delicious food when eating.
Secondly, multi-layer co-extrusion film technology also performs well in odor barrier. By co-extruding polymer materials with different properties into a multi-layer structure, such as EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) layer sandwiched between polyethylene or polypropylene. EVOH has extremely high barrier properties to odor molecules, which can prevent external odors from invading the packaging and contaminating pet food, and also prevent the fragrance of pet food from emitting, thereby maintaining the flavor characteristics of the food for a long time.
Furthermore, the sealing performance of pet food packaging film and bags is closely related to odor barrier. Even if high-quality barrier materials are used, if the seal is not tight, odor leakage will still occur. Parameter optimization of heat sealing process is crucial, including heat sealing temperature, pressure and time. Appropriate heat sealing conditions can ensure that the package is tightly sealed and leak-free, forming a complete odor barrier to protect the flavor integrity of pet food.
In addition, the surface area to volume ratio of the package will also affect the odor barrier effect. A smaller surface area to volume ratio means relatively less odor exchange area, which can reduce the probability of odor molecule penetration. Therefore, when designing pet food packaging, the size and shape of the package should be reasonably selected according to the shape and quantity of the food to reduce unnecessary odor loss channels and enhance the protection of pet food flavor.
Then, the storage environment has a certain test on the odor barrier effect of the package. High temperature and high humidity environment may accelerate the aging of packaging materials and reduce their barrier properties. Therefore, when designing the packaging, we should consider adding additives such as anti-aging agents to improve the stability of the packaging under different environmental conditions, ensure that the pet food always maintains a good odor barrier effect during the shelf life, and protect its flavor from being destroyed.
Finally, as consumers' requirements for the quality of pet food continue to increase, the odor barrier technology of pet food packaging film and bags is also continuously innovating. For example, the use of nanotechnology to improve the structure of packaging materials can further improve its barrier efficiency for odor molecules, provide more lasting and reliable protection for the flavor of pet food, meet the needs of pets and pet owners, and enhance the competitiveness of pet food products.
