Everything to Know When Choosing Adhesives for Food Packaging

Adhesives play a vital role in the food and beverage packaging industry. To ensure products maintain an attractive appearance and have a long shelf life, choosing the right adhesive is of utmost importance. Below are things to know when choosing adhesives for food packaging.

Types of Adhesives Used in the Food Sector

Water-based Adhesives

Water-based adhesives have become popular in various packaging applications due to their versatility and environmental friendliness. They offer good bonding strength with porous materials such as paper and cardboard, making them suitable for high-speed automatic gluing machines.

PVA emulsion adhesives are commonly used for food packaging applications, particularly for cartons and paper boxes.

Hotmelt Adhesives

Hotmelt adhesives are made from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) or polyethylene. At room temperature, the adhesive exists in the form of pellets, sticks, etc., and is melted in glue guns or automated production lines. Once cooled and solidified, it creates a strong bond for food packaging, bottle sealing, and food-prep assembly items.

Compared to water-based glues, hotmelt adhesives offer rapid setting times and high compatibility with a wide range of materials. This is extremely useful for packaging with special characteristics, such as PE-coated and BOPP-coated films. They exhibit excellent heat and cold resistance, ensuring that labels do not peel off when stored in refrigerators or exposed to high temperatures.

However, the application process has a certain level of complexity and typically requires specialized equipment.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Food Packaging Adhesives

Key criteria when selecting adhesives for food packaging include:

Food Safety

Ensuring that adhesives are safe for food packaging applications is the top priority for food and beverage manufacturers. The adhesive must comply with Vietnamese and international food safety standards, such as:

• QCVN 12/2010/BYT technical regulations on food safety for food packaging.
• TCVN 5602:2004 hygiene and food safety standards for food packaging.
• European Commission Regulation 2023/2006/EC on materials and articles intended to come into direct contact with food.

Ingredients & Composition

In some applications, the adhesive comes into direct contact with utensils or the food inside (e.g., milk straws, paper bag openings, milk cartons, etc.). Therefore, the adhesive must not contain hazardous or harmful substances to human health, such as BPA, formaldehyde, lead, mercury, etc.

It is advisable to choose adhesives with clear origins, produced by reputable suppliers.

Substrate & Bonding Materials

To ensure performance and optimize costs, you should clearly define your packaging needs to choose the right product. The adhesive must be compatible with the packaging material to guarantee strong adhesion. For instance, plastics come in various types, each requiring a specific adhesive compatibility match.

It is essential to consider where and how your packaging will be used. Will it be exposed to extreme temperatures or high humidity? These factors can heavily impact adhesive performance.

Cost

Choose an adhesive that fits your application requirements and budget. Additionally, evaluate how the adhesive integrates into your production line. Can it be easily used with existing machinery, or will you need to invest in extra equipment?

Other Criteria

• Eco-friendliness: Opt for adhesives derived from environmentally friendly, biodegradable raw materials.
• Aesthetics: Choose adhesives that provide smooth glue lines. Hotmelt adhesives also come in various colors, so select the right shade to avoid compromising the packaging’s appearance.

>>> Note: When choosing adhesives for food packaging, carefully weigh all of the above criteria to ensure consumer health safety and operational efficiency. Furthermore, it is recommended to consult packaging experts or your adhesive supplier to select the most suitable product.

TECHBOND – A Leading Regional Industrial Adhesive Brand

At TECHBOND, we focus not only on researching and manufacturing high-quality products but also on promoting sustainability and innovation. TECHBOND adhesives consistently meet strict safety and environmental standards. We also tailor our packaging adhesive solutions to match individual customer needs.

Through this article, TECHBOND has shared things to know when choosing adhesives for food packaging. Contact us today for expert consultation on the most suitable industrial adhesive products!

TECHBOND MFG (VIETNAM) CO., LTD

• Address: No. 18 VSIP II-A, Street 23, Vietnam – Singapore II-A Industrial Park, Vinh Tan Ward, Tan Uyen City, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam
• Hotline: 0866 15 37 68 (Sales Contact)
• Email: info@techbond.com.vn

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