Heat-resistant lidding films

Heat-resistant lidding films for applications in the packaging industry and retail

Heat-resistant lidding films play an important role especially in the food industry, but also in the non-food sector. In the field of food hygiene and food safety, packaging materials play an important role. The regulations that such packaging materials must meet are strict and diverse. Heat-resistant lidding films for food packaging, like other packaging films, are subject to these strict regulations. However, in the non-food sector, the chemical and mechanical properties of heat-resistant lidding films are also of great importance for the safety of the packaged materials.

Advantages of heat-resistant lidding films

By sealing with heat-resistant lidding films, food is protected from external influences such as air, moisture or germs, which extends its shelf life and preserves its freshness. Heat-resistant lidding films ensure safe and hygienic packaging of food. This increases safety and harmlessness for consumers and reduces the risk of contamination. The use of heat-resistant lidding films enables efficient packaging of food, both in large production plants and in catering or retail. This contributes to increasing productivity and cost efficiency. Heat-resistant lidding films can be used for a wide variety of foods and packaging applications. They are available in different shapes, sizes and designs to meet the requirements of producers and consumers.

The importance of heat-resistant lidding films in the food industry

Many liquids and other foods such as ready meals, soups, sauces, meat products, cheese, baked goods and much more that are packaged in the food industry are hot-filled. This ensures that germs are killed and cannot have a negative effect inside the packaging. Heat-resistant lidding films are often used to seal these foods safely. They provide a safe and hygienic packaging solution that preserves the freshness and quality of the food. Lidding films used in this way must also be food-safe, meaning that they must not contain any toxic materials or release any components into the packaged food.

The importance of heat-resistant lidding films in the non-food sector

Heat-resistant lidding films are also indispensable in packaging logistics in the non-food sector, for example for packaging liquid chemicals or liquids used in the automotive industry, such as engine oil, antifreeze or brake fluid. Many of these products are hot-filled, which requires heat-resistant lids that are often placed under a screw cap. However, resistance to chemicals and mechanical strength also play a major role here. Customers should clarify directly with the responsible service staff which heat-resistant lidding films are suitable for which applications.

The importance of heat-resistant lidding films in retail

In retail, heat-resistant lidding films are used to package ready-made meals, delicatessen products or fresh food. The food is either presented already packaged in this way at fresh food counters or packaged specially for customers at service counters. Transparent lidding films are usually used here, helping to present the products attractively. In addition, packaging with heat-resistant lidding films extends the shelf life of the food sold. Attractive presentation and freshness of the goods strengthen customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

The importance of heat-resistant lidding films in catering, gastronomy and delivery services

In gastronomy and catering, heat-resistant lidding films are usually used to package food for transport or storage. They enable efficient organization and transport as well as safe storage of warm or hot dishes, but also of salads or desserts. For event catering, the food is delivered packaged in this way and then prepared accordingly for presentation at the event, or only the lids are removed. Restaurants use hygienic packaging with heat-resistant lidding films for customers who collect food from the restaurant or want to take it away after a restaurant visit. For delivery services, it is also important to have safe and hygienic packaging for the delivered food on its way to the customer. Food trays or menu containers with heat-resistant lidding films are best suited for this purpose.

Sealability of heat-resistant lidding films

Even if lidding films are heat-resistant, they must provide a way to firmly seal the lid to the rim of the container by heat sealing. This ensures safe and hygienic packaging of food and prevents the penetration of air, moisture or germs. For this purpose, either the lid material as a whole must be heat-sealable, or a composite material is selected that contains a sealable layer. Sealability is a prerequisite for the safe, germ-free packaging of food and other goods. Heat-resistant lidding films are also used in pharmaceuticals to package medicines safely. Naturally, sealability is particularly important in such a sensitive area.

The heat-sealing process for processing heat-resistant lidding films

According to the state of the art, heat-resistant lidding films are sealed using the heat-sealing process. There are different devices for this, ranging from industrial automatic machines to manually operated heat-sealing devices for gastronomy or retail. In addition to sealing, the devices may have other functions. For example, there are heat-sealing devices that vacuum the inserted container before sealing or inject gas for preservation. Depending on the type of heat-sealing equipment used and the product trays into which the products are placed, the appropriate heat-resistant lidding film must be selected. The induction sealing and ultrasonic sealing processes used in many areas today are not, or not yet, suitable for sealing heat-resistant lidding films.

Which materials are suitable for heat-resistant lidding films?

Heat-resistant lidding films are made from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or polyester (PET). In the field of PET films, the very heat-resistant BOPET is particularly in demand. The heat-resistant lidding films in the Bleher range are also made from BOPET material. BOPET film is biaxially oriented film, which means that after the production process the film is stretched both in the machine direction and transverse to the machine direction. This stretching process under the influence of heat is referred to in technical terminology as orientation. Orientation changes the crystallinity of the film and improves its mechanical properties. Another important property enabled by the orientation process is the dimensional stability of BOPET films. This is an important prerequisite for machine processing, as is often the case with heat-resistant lidding films.

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