Why Long Term Storage Requires More Than Just Thick Packaging

 

There's this idea that thicker packaging means better protection - which is true to some extent but thickness doesn't always protect against the biggest threats for stored products.

The thickness of the material has a limited connection to how much oxygen can flow through it. While there are some thick plastics that could still allow oxygen to flow through them - so there's a chance for oxidation and degradation even though the appearance of them is intact.

Moisture exists in much the same way as oxygen. Many types of material will allow the movement of water vapor through them, irrespective of how thick they seem. Over time this movement (in some cases) can lead to significant degrading of the quality of the stored product.

Light can also be a problem and often goes unnoticed. Transparent or low tint materials may initially appear to be attractive (and some are) but they also have an ability to pass damaging amounts of light onto their contents.

When storing products for an extended time, the best method is using materials with barrier properties rather than aesthetics or thickness. The most important factors in determining whether or not a material will be suitable for long term storage are how well it blocks out gas (i.e., how much oxygen and moisture it lets from one side of the material to the other) and how well it prevents the passage of damaging light through the surface.

Mylar Bags are one example of how these principles are applied to the packaging of products for long-term preservation, and they represent a good example of how Mylar Bags work and can be used in practice when long-term protection for a stored product is needed.