The Price and Purchase of Single-Serving Yogurt Packaging Machines - Cup and Bucket Types

Yogurt, along with its beverages and desserts, is delicious and nutritious, and it has gradually become a essential requirement in people's lives. Yogurt packaging design not only provides a pleasing visual experience but is also designed to protect the product from contamination and extend its shelf life.

The type of packaging materials used for yogurt is crucial for maintaining its quality.

Yogurt producers face challenges in packaging their products. One of the main challenges is preventing leakage. Another challenge is controlling the amount of oxygen that enters the packaging, as this can affect the product's quality and longevity.

Packen is a manufacturer of various packaging machines, including dairy packaging machines. In this article, we will focus specifically on the requirements for yogurt packaging and familiarize ourselves with the different types of packaging machines used.

Yogurt packaging can be done using various machines, including automatic and semi-automatic tray sealer machines, and thermoforming machines. These machines can be ordered based on capacity and production needs. Stay with us to learn more about the different types of yogurt packaging machines.

Yogurt Packaging Using Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is a packaging and preservation technology that involves optimizing the gas atmosphere around a food product or other perishable items, such as dairy products and yogurt, to keep them fresh and extend their shelf life. Various packaging methods and materials are used to control oxidation, respiration, and to slow down microbial growth.

Oxidation, respiration, and microbial growth are the main factors that reduce the shelf life of perishable products. All of these processes depend on the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide (or their absence) around the product. Therefore, MAP targets and optimizes this ratio to keep products fresh.

During the packaging by modified atmosphere method, the air inside the package sends out and will replace by other gas or mixed ordered supportive gas. Most mixture of gases in MAP in comparison of surrounding air, have less Oxygen and more Nitrogen or Carbon dioxide. This is for reducing the growth of bacteria, for example in cheese and yogurt and other dairy products, or decrease the speed of respiration in fruits and vegetables.

 

Different Types of Packaging Machines

Yogurt packaging is carried out using tray sealer machines, including automatic, semi-automatic, thermoforming, and tabletop sealing machines. Steel West Asia is one of the manufacturers of these machines. Below, we will introduce the different machines they offer:

Automatic Vacuum Sealing Packaging Machine

The automatic vacuum sealing packaging machine is one of the yogurt packaging machines that performs the packaging process completely automatically with high speed and precision. During packaging, containers are placed on the conveyor either by a container feeder or with the help of an operator, and filling machines carry out the filling operation.

The automatic sealing vacuum machine is suitable for sealing plastic buckets. In the filling machine, various filling volumes are optional. You can choose the volume according to your needs.

If you look at the filling machine alongside the automatic vacuum sealing machine, you will see that this equipment is suitable for packaging containers in large-scale production and packaging lines. This packaging machine is used for buckets of yogurt, jelly, juice, ice cream, pudding, custard, other liquids, or pastes, and so on.

The automatic yogurt packaging machine features a well-designed structure with a high degree of automation. It primarily consists of a PLC control system (for monitoring and controlling the entire filling process), a container feeder, a filling hopper, a conveyor, pneumatic devices, automatic container sealing, the machine’s mold system, motors, and more.

After the container is filled and enters the machine, the desired gas is injected into it, and a film is sealed over the container. Finally, the containers are directed by the conveyor to the labeling machine or jet printer, where they are printed with their details. Depending on customer requirements, lids are placed on the containers, and the products are gathered on a collection table to be packed into shipping boxes.

This machine offers the advantages of an integrated and continuous structure, high automation, ease of use, simple maintenance, and high production efficiency. The machine is known for its stable quality, long service life, advanced performance, and reliable quality.

Semi-automatic vacuum sealing packaging machine

The semi-automatic vacuum sealing packaging machine operates similarly to the automatic machine, with the main difference being that some steps, such as filling the containers and rotating the machine table, are performed manually by the operator. After the operator presses the button, the sealing process is carried out. This machine is suitable for restaurants and medium-sized workloads, but it has a faster speed for smaller containers compared to the automatic machine.

Thermoforming packaging machine

Another machine used for yogurt packaging is the thermoforming packaging machine. This machine operates on principles similar to the automatic machine, and all the mentioned auxiliary equipment is also compatible with it. The difference is that, during the packaging process with this machine, containers are formed using flexible or rigid films. The filling machine then weighs the products and fills them into the containers, and the sealing process is carried out by the machine.

Tabletop sealing packaging machine

The tabletop sealing packaging machine is used for packaging products in very small production volumes or for home, workshop, and small store packaging. The packaging process with this method is entirely carried out by the operator.

Materials Used in Yogurt Packaging

The current packaging forms for yogurt in our country's market mainly include the following:

Plastic Packaging: There are four main types of plastic packaging for yogurt:

• High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Composite Materials

• HDPE Containers: Smooth-body HDPE containers can be labeled with paper and sealed with heat-sealed aluminum foil lids or PE-LD caps. This packaging is typically used for fermented and sterilized yogurt. The shelf life of yogurt packaged in this way is generally about 20 days and requires refrigeration.
• Polystyrene (PS) Bottles: PS bottles are resistant to low temperatures and can withstand temperatures as low as -30°C. Yogurt packaged in PS containers generally has a shelf life of about 21 days.

• Composite Materials Packaging: Composite packaging materials are made from two or more substances with different properties. The comprehensive performance of composite packaging can address needs that a single material cannot meet. Yogurt packaged in composite containers offers good overall performance, effective thermal sealing, and suitable printing quality. Additionally, yogurt packaged with composite materials not only improves the quality of the yogurt but also extends its shelf life.

• Packaging Lids: Lid Materials: The lids are made from paper with a metallic coating, plastic, or aluminum foil. (Since the lid used has a lacquer coating on the underside, dairy products will not come into contact with the processed aluminum.)

Advantages of Plastic Packaging:

• Durability and Flexibility
• Cost-Effectiveness
• Lightweight
• Reduced Shipping Costs
• Enhanced Branding Opportunities
• Ease of Use and Storage
• Consumer Preference

 

Gases Used in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

The gas mixture used in MAP depends on various factors, including the type of perishable product, packaging materials, storage temperature, and expected shelf life.

Oxygen: Oxygen is a highly reactive chemical responsible for various chemical reactions and accelerates microbial growth. In most cases, oxygen facilitates food spoilage, so it should be removed from MAP packaging. Reducing oxygen in packages slows down lipid oxidation, browning, and microbial growth, thereby increasing the shelf life of perishable products.

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Carbon dioxide reduces microbial growth because it can penetrate microbial cell membranes and disrupt cellular respiration, which is essential for microbial reproduction. However, using 100% carbon dioxide is not always the best option because:

• The production or source of carbon dioxide is more expensive than nitrogen.
• Under certain conditions, carbon dioxide can participate in chemical reactions.

For example, it can react with water to form carbonic acid, which may slightly lower the pH of the food. This can negatively affect the sensory characteristics and shelf life of some foods.

Nitrogen: Nitrogen is a relatively inert gas and does not readily react chemically with other substances. It is used as a filler gas to displace oxygen and create a protective atmosphere around the product. Its lower cost and high chemical stability compared to carbon dioxide help maintain packaging integrity.

Noble Gases: Noble gases such as argon and helium are sometimes used as a supplement or alternative to nitrogen in MAP. They are even more inert than nitrogen and are suitable for very sensitive products like fresh seafood.

For dairy products, the gas used in packaging is 100% carbon dioxide.