In the food industry, heat sealing is the process of packaging food products in a sealed container by applying heat and pressure to a plastic film. It is an effective way of protecting food from bacteria or mould and preserves it for longer. In fact, it is one of the main ways to preserve food.
Heat sealing methods
There are three main approaches to heat sealing foods, depending on the production need:
- Manual heat sealing is used for small-scale food packages. The tray containing the food is introduced into the machine, and the plastic film is lowered over the tray. The machine does the final part of the process – sealing and cutting the film.
- Automatic heat sealing is used for larger-scale food production. The employee puts the food tray into the machine, and the machine does the rest – wrapping the tray in plastic film, sealing it, cutting the film, and then ejecting the heat-sealed container.
- Semi-automatic heat sealing is halfway between the above two methods. The employee puts the food tray into the machine. The machine wraps it in plastic film, and then the employee lowers the plate for the machine to seal and cut the film automatically.
Advantages of heat sealing
Heat-sealed food has several benefits, for example:
- Large amounts of food can be packaged quickly.
- It keeps the food in good condition.
- Food can be stored in suitable heat-sealable trays or plastic containers.
- It is a more attractive way to present the food to the customer as they can easily see the food in the container.
- It is ideal for a variety of food businesses such as delicatessens, fishmongers, butchers, supermarkets, takeaways, restaurants, school canteens, hospitals, and catering companies.
Top seal containers
We provide a range of top seal containers in various shapes, sizes and colours. They are simple, safe, and guarantee freshness and hygiene. Perfect for all types of food business, many of them are freezer grade, microwavable, and safe for putting in the dishwasher.
For example:
- DeliPAK is a range of Polypropylene round top seal containers ideal for dairy products like yoghurts, butter, and cream and can be frozen to temperatures no lower than -19°C.
- The MenuPAK range of containers is ideal for ready-meals, microwave safe for short times, and can be frozen down to -40°C.
- The FreshPAK range is perfect for situations where you want to display the contents of the container clearly—for example, salads, fruits, processed meats, and deli products.
- The DairyPAK range has been designed specifically with dairy products in mind, such as butter, yoghurts, and cream.
- The OvenPAK range is perfect for reheating meals. They can be stored in the freezer as low as -40°C and heated in either a conventional or microwave oven.
Of course, these containers cannot seal themselves, so we also have a manual heat sealing machine and lidding film. So, not only do you now know what heat sealing is, but you also know where to get everything you need to perfectly package your food products for storage and selling.