Aluminum foil usually refers to aluminum materials with a purity of more than 99.5% and a thickness of less than 0.2 mm. The thickness of aluminum foil used for composite materials will be thinner. Of course, different countries have different requirements for the thickness and composition of aluminum foil. The question is, can thin aluminum foil be used for food packaging? This has to start with the mission of food packaging and the characteristics of aluminum foil.
Although food packaging is generally not edible, it is an important part of the attributes of food commodities. As far as the functions of food packaging are concerned, the core function is food protection. Food goes through a complex process from production to consumption, so it may be affected by biological, chemical, physical and other external factors in the environment. Food packaging should be able to maintain the stability of food quality and resist various adverse effects in the environment. At the same time, food packaging should also meet the requirements of beauty, convenience, environmental protection, and low price.
Let's take a look at the properties of aluminum foil. First, aluminum foil has high mechanical strength and certain impact and puncture resistance. Therefore, during storage, transportation, etc., aluminum foil packaged food is not easily damaged by factors such as extrusion, impact, vibration, temperature difference, etc. Second, aluminum foil has high barrier properties and has high barrier properties against sunlight, high temperature, moisture, oxygen, microorganisms, etc. These factors are factors that promote food deterioration. Blocking these factors can extend the shelf life of food. Third, aluminum foil is easy to process, has low cost, can meet the packaging needs of most foods, and has a beautiful silvery white color and mysterious texture. Fourth, metallic aluminum itself is a lightweight metal, and extremely thin aluminum foil meets the basic requirements for lightweight packaging, which is of great significance for reducing transportation costs. Fifth, aluminum foil is non-toxic and odorless, easy to recycle, and meets the requirements of green environmental protection and sustainable development.
