Pizza Cheese Packaging Machine - Types, Technical Features, and Prices
Reading Time: 15 minutes
2024/12/11
The packaging industry, alongside the food and oil industries—which together account for nearly 2% of the gross domestic product in developed countries—ranks third among the most widely used industries in the world. Approximately 51% of all packaging applications are dedicated to the food sector. Consumer trends towards healthy and safe food have led to the development of advanced and unique approaches in food processing and packaging.
Packen is a manufacturer of various packaging machines, including dairy packaging machines. In this article, we will specifically discuss the requirements for packaging pizza cheese and familiarize ourselves with the packaging machines used for this purpose.
Pizza cheese packaging machines are available in different types, including fully automatic industrial models, semi-automatic workshop models, and manual home models. These machines can be purchased or customized according to needs.
For more information about the semi-automatic tray sealer packaging machine, you can view the product page.
Most Important Reasons for Packaging Pizza Cheese
Packaging plays a crucial role in the production of pizza cheese because pizza cheese can easily spoil due to dynamic microbiological and biochemical changes during production, transport, and marketing processes. The key reasons for packaging pizza cheese are:- Protection from contaminants
- Prevention of moisture loss
- Protection from oxygen effects
- Increased shelf life
- Preservation of product properties
- Protection from direct sunlight
- Maintenance of flavor balance
- Preservation of required temperature
- Retention of nutritional qualities
- Extension of product lifespan
- Protection from physical damage
- Maintenance of product freshness
- Easier usage
- Simplified transportation
- Protection from biological agents
- Advertising and marketing
- Inclusion of product information
What Features Should Ideal Pizza Cheese Packaging Have?
Pizza cheese packaging should have the following features:- Preserve nutritional qualities.
- Extend the product’s shelf life.
- Comply with industry standards, prevent the entry of odors, air, and sunlight, and be made from the least harmful materials.
- Be practical and cost-effective.
- Be environmentally friendly.
- Focus on product characteristics and be resistant to the fats present in the product.
- Include a product information label.
- Be prepared according to hygiene guidelines.
- Have sufficient strength to maintain its form during transportation, loading, and unloading, without compromising the contents.
- Be efficient and prevent food and packaging material waste.
Hygienic Packaging of Pizza Cheese
- Hygienic packaging of pizza cheese involves using appropriate materials, up-to-date technologies, and adhering to hygiene standards. Below are some principles and important considerations for the hygienic packaging of pizza cheese:
- Use of Appropriate Packaging Materials: For hygienic packaging of pizza cheese, materials such as suitable plastics, breathable paper, or hygienic cartons should be used. These materials should be sanitary, non-toxic, and should not affect the quality of the pizza cheese. It is recommended to package dairy products and other foods that need to be stored in a microbe-free environment in plastic containers that have undergone UV tunnel treatment to reduce microbial load. Sterile packaging significantly enhances the shelf life of food products.
- Adherence to Hygiene Standards: This includes cleaning and disinfecting the processing and packaging environment, as well as the packaging equipment and workers' hands. Time and temperature limitations for packaging must also be observed. Using automated packaging machines that reduce manual intervention has a significant impact on reducing contamination and ensures hygienic packaging.
- Quality and Safety Assurance: Hygienic packaging of pizza cheese should ensure the preservation of the product's quality and safety. This involves preventing contamination, spoilage, and degradation of the pizza cheese. The packaging should protect the cheese from impacts, pressure, and other hazards. Utilizing a metal detector in the packaging line to detect metal objects can be a measure to ensure product safety.
- Product Information: The hygienic packaging of pizza cheese should provide useful information about the product. This includes the product name, packaging date, expiration date, storage conditions, and any other relevant information that informs the consumer about the product, its processing, and the type of packaging.
- Protection from Physical and Environmental Hazards: Hygienic packaging should protect the pizza cheese from impacts, pressure, environmental contamination, and other hazards. It should ideally be impact-resistant to reduce transportation risks.
Techniques for Packaging Pizza Cheese
Pizza cheese is a type of cheese with high stretchability and melting properties. Due to its high moisture content, this cheese has limited stability at low temperatures (4°C). Methods that enhance the shelf life of this product include using brine and adding potassium sorbate. However, packaging pizza cheese is the best method for long-term storage and extending its shelf life. The packaging methods for pizza cheese are outlined below:
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)
Currently, Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is an expanding method and is successfully used for the production of various processed dairy products. In this method, the product is placed inside the package, the air is evacuated, and a mixture of gases is introduced to replace it. Finally, the package is completely sealed. Common gases used in this process include oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, but other gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide can also be used. MAP increases the stability and shelf life of pizza cheese by protecting it against oxidation, dehydration, and undesirable microorganisms. The modified atmosphere helps to reduce microbial growth and delay enzymatic changes, thereby extending the product’s shelf life. The films used in this method have low water vapor transmission and low oxygen permeability. Additionally, the modified gaseous environment around the pizza cheese helps to prolong its shelf life. Carbon dioxide has bacteriostatic and antifungal effects, significantly increasing the shelf life of pizza cheese in modified atmospheres containing gas. The presence of carbon dioxide in the package also inhibits undesirable microorganisms such as staphylococci, yeasts, and molds.Vacuum Packaging
The vacuum packaging process involves placing the product in a bag and evacuating the air without adding other gases. However, the level of vacuum is fully adjustable, and in addition to air evacuation, a certain percentage of gas injection can also be performed. The bags used in vacuum packaging are typically made from a flexible plastic film with low gas and water vapor permeability, and the plastic film generally adheres closely to the product. This process prevents the growth of undesirable aerobic organisms, contraction, and oxidation.Active Packaging
Active packaging is a modern concept in food packaging that has been introduced to meet the evolving needs of consumers in the market. Active packaging modifies the internal atmosphere of the package in a desirable way, leading to increased shelf life, improved quality, and enhanced safety of food products. Key active packaging systems currently in use include oxygen absorbers, carbon dioxide absorbers and emitters, moisture absorbers, ethylene absorbers, and ethanol emitters. Other types of these systems include flavor absorbers and emitters, time-temperature indicators, and antimicrobial films. The following sections will discuss each of these active packaging systems:Oxygen Absorbers
High levels of oxygen in food packaging can contribute to microbial growth, changes in flavor and odor, color changes, and the loss of nutrients, which are major causes of reduced shelf life of food products. Therefore, controlling oxygen levels in pizza cheese packaging is considered crucial. Oxygen absorbers are used in products that need protection from oxygen, including plastic products that replace glass and metal packaging, as well as single-layer plastic packaging. Materials such as glass, metals, ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can act as barriers to prevent the infiltration of external oxygen into the packaging. Oxygen absorbers provide an active barrier to the packaging by absorbing the oxygen present inside the package, any residual oxygen in the product, or oxygen that gradually enters through the package walls over time. In addition to oxygen absorbers, sealing vacuum machines can be used to remove air and oxygen from the vacuum packaging. These machines significantly reduce the amount of air inside the package, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for various types of oxygen absorbers.Carbon Dioxide Absorbers and Emitters
High levels of carbon dioxide typically play a beneficial role in reducing microbial growth in various products and slowing down the loss of freshness in fruits and vegetables. Carbon dioxide has greater permeability compared to oxygen. However, a significant amount of carbon dioxide still penetrates into plastic food packaging films. For example, in areas of packaging with high carbon dioxide permeability, a carbon dioxide emitter system should reduce respiration rates and inhibit microbial growth. Combining oxygen absorbers with carbon dioxide emitters enhances the shelf life of perishable foods. By using sealing vacuum machines, you can reduce the amount of oxygen inside the packaging and inject a suitable percentage of carbon dioxide into the impermeable containers. This approach eliminates the need for various types of oxygen absorbers and carbon dioxide emitters.Suitable Containers for Pizza Cheese Packaging
The following materials are used for packaging pizza cheese:
- Polyethylene Containers: High-density polyethylene is used for making packaging containers and their lids. This material is highly flexible and known for its high impact strength and resistance to low temperatures. The lightweight nature of this product also facilitates easy handling.
- Packaging Nylon: These nylons are CPP laminated on OPP and have very high resistance. Additionally, with increased thickness, their resistance increases, ensuring they do not tear or get damaged during transportation.
- Impermeable Packaging Materials: To prevent the spread of oxygen, the most impermeable packaging materials possible should be selected. These materials include:
- Foil or aluminum strip
- Metallized plastics
- Use of oxygen-resistant layers in plastic compounds such as polyvinylidene chloride, ethylene vinyl alcohol, or polyvinyl alcohol.
- Regular two-layer films
- Multi-layer barrier films
- Anti-fog films
- OPA / PE (total thickness 45-250 micrometers)
- OPP mono (total thickness 20 to 50 micrometers)
- OPP / OPP (total thickness 30-100 micrometers)
- OPP / PE (total thickness 50-250 micrometers)
- OPP / CPP (total thickness 50-100 micrometers)
- PE / PE (total thickness 60-250 micrometers)
- PE mono (total thickness 60-250 micrometers)
- PET / PE (total thickness 45-250 micrometers)
- CPP / PE (total thickness 50-250 micrometers)
Different Types of Pizza Cheese Packaging Machines
In the process of packaging pizza cheese, many machines are used that operate automatically, semi-automatically, and manually. Additionally, based on the production volume, various industrial and household machines for packaging pizza cheese are available in the market. Pizza cheese packaging machines include the following:
- Automatic sealing vacuum machine
- Semi-automatic sealing vacuum machine
- Double-chamber vacuum machine
- Pillow pack machine
- Cellophane wrapping machine
- Tabletop sealing machine
- Thermoforming machine
Sealing Vacuum Packaging Machine
Sealing machines are devices that seal plastic containers, preventing the entry of moisture and air. These machines are used for packaging food products and are available in fully automatic, semi-automatic, and manual (household) types. Next, we will introduce the different types of sealing vacuum packaging machines:Automatic Tray Sealer Packaging Machine
One of the products of Packen Company is the automatic tray sealer packaging machine (Tray Sealer), which has been designed and manufactured with great effort by the skilled engineers of this company. This machine is fully automatic and packages pizza cheese into plastic containers with high speed, accuracy, and quality. The packaging process of pizza cheese using the automatic tray sealer packaging machine is as follows:- If the container placement process is not automatic, the operator manually places the plastic containers on the conveyor belt. Otherwise, the container placer machine places the containers on the conveyor belt.
- At this stage, the available fillers pour the pizza cheese into the plastic containers. If the machine is not equipped with a filler, the operator manually pours the pizza cheese into the containers.
- The filled containers are guided by the conveyor belt towards the machine mold.
- Based on the settings made, the machine uses the modified atmosphere method, removing the oxygen inside the package and injecting a percentage of inert gases according to the type of product, and finally sealing the containers.
- If the machine is equipped with a jet printer (date printer) or a labeler, the plastic containers are orderly guided towards it by the row aligner to print the information on the packages.
- Finally, the prepared packages are guided by the conveyor belt towards the traffic table and placed on it.
Features of the Machine:
- The machine can be easily operated and adjusted by the operator.
- Adjustable for different container sizes
- Various options available according to customer needs
- Capability to package using different methods such as MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) and others
Auxiliary Equipment Usable in the Production Line of the Automatic Tray Sealer Packaging Machine
Various auxiliary equipment can be installed in the production line of the automatic tray sealer packaging machine. These equipment include:- Automatic container placer
- UV tunnel
- Single to multiple rows and vice versa converter
- Weight control systems (check weigher)
- Various fillers
- Automatic row aligner
- Jet printer and labeler
- Automatic lid placer
- Metal detector
- Rotary table
Semi-Automatic Tray Sealer Packaging Machine
Another machine produced by Packen Company is the semi-automatic rotary table packaging machine for packaging pizza cheese. Due to its semi-automatic nature, this machine is not suitable for high-volume production and is used for low to medium volume productions. The pizza cheese is packaged in this machine as follows:- First, the operator fills the plastic containers with pizza cheese.
- Then, the operator places the filled containers on the machine mold.
- At this stage, the operator rotates the machine table and adjusts the settings.
- The machine starts packaging the pizza cheese based on the adjustments made.
- After packaging, the machine sends the containers with pizza cheese towards the table using a conveyor belt.
For more information about the semi-automatic tray sealer packaging machine, you can view the product page.
Thermoforming Packaging Machine
Another machine used for packaging pizza cheese is the thermoforming packaging machine. This machine is also a product of Packen Company and packages pizza cheese as follows:- First, plastic containers are produced using rigid or flexible plastic films. To make the containers, films are placed in the machine, which shapes the films into containers. The formed containers are then trimmed in the cutting mold.
- Next, the prepared containers are filled using a filler.
- The containers with pizza cheese are guided towards the machine mold using a conveyor belt.
- The machine performs the vacuum and gas injection processes under vacuum at this stage.
- Then, the machine performs sealing and cutting of the packaged containers.
- After the containers exit the machine, an automatic row aligner arranges them in rows.
Vacuum Chamber Packaging Machine
The vacuum chamber machine is used for packaging pizza cheese in plastic wraps and pouches. In this method, after manually filling the plastic wraps and pouches, the operator places them inside the machine. After vacuuming, one side of the wrap or pouch is sealed by the machine. The operator then removes them from the machine, completing the packaging process. Features of the Machine:- Complete vacuum packaging of products or MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) method
- Equipped with a high-power rotary oil vacuum pump
- Strong and error-free sealing
Tabletop Sealing Machine
Home packaging machines for pizza cheese are used for low-volume packaging. These machines are more affordable compared to industrial machines, but they also have a lower production speed. All the machines introduced, manufactured by Packen, are capable of packaging not only pizza cheese but also the following products:- Various dried fruits and dates
- Various ready-to-eat cold foods
- Pickles (such as cucumbers, olives) and preserves
- Various meat and protein products
- Fruits and various salads
- Some dairy products like cheese
Price of Pizza Cheese Packaging Machines
The price of machines produced by Packen Company varies due to several factors. Factors that determine the price of the packaging machine include:- Different types of machines have different prices.
- Home machines (tabletop sealers) are less expensive compared to industrial machines (automatic and semi-automatic).
- The prices of automatic, semi-automatic, and manual machines vary.
- The dimensions of the containers affect the price of the machine. Additionally, as production volume increases, more auxiliary equipment may be added to the machine.
- The auxiliary equipment used in the machine affects the price.
- Customer-specific options can alter the price of the machine.
- In some cases, if a customer orders a custom machine, its price will be estimated separately.
