Creating New Foods. The Product Developer's Guide - Product Design and Process Development

CREATING NEW FOODS
THE PRODUCT DEVELOPER'S GUIDE

CHAPTER 5
Product Design and Process Development

5.6 PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT

Packaging design at this stage concentrates on the packaging of the individual product; the outer packaging research is only related to decisions regarding size and to the protection required during distribution.

The design of the packaging for the individual product is based on the needs of the consumer and the requirements of product preservation and protection in the product design specifications, but it also considers the process and the distribution, as well as the needs of retailers and the environment.

The graphic design is usually carried out during the commercialisation stage together with the promotional artwork, but consideration needs to be given to any printing and display needs in the selection of the packaging and the materials to be used.

The needs of the consumer and the retailer dictate the dimensions as the package has to be stored on retailers' and consumers' shelves, consumers have to be able to handle and open the package with their hands, the quantities are related to the serving of the food and the packaging has to stand up to the general conditions of use. The packages have also to fit into the standard outer container shapes and sizes.

The product may be processed in the package in which case the package must be able to stand up to the processing conditions and also not interact with the food during processing and storage, for example packaging constituents leaching into the food. In all cases, the package needs to fit into the packing line with not too much adaptation.

The factors to consider in packaging design at this stage of product and process development are summarised in Table 5.2.

Table 5.2 Factors in packaging design

Consumer	Buying, transporting, storing, using, eating, disposing
Product	Containment Protection in external environment, distribution Presentation for communication, promotion, selling Use by consumer: convenient, dispensable, ergonomic, information Legal requirements
Process	Preservation of food, processing ability, interaction with processing Product packaging quality Machine ability in making, forming, filling, closing
Distribution	Outer packing, unitisation, transport, storage conditions Retailer needs Storage, display, communication, bar coding, tamper-proofing
Environment	Resources used: energy, raw materials Waste: reuse, recycle, or disposable

From the research, the packaging is defined as packaging material (films, cardboard, metal, glass, solid plastic), packaging type (bottle, carton, pottle, can), packaging size, packaging method (hand, continuous, automatic, aseptic). The designer does not have a great deal of room for originality in food packaging except with regard to the graphic design, but there is still a great deal of originality as can be seen on the supermarket shelves. The use of computers with design software has made it easier to design packaging.

The package is then put to the test on the processing/filling line, and for shelf life, and product protection during storage and transport. Finally the consumer has to test the packaging with the product.