PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,

MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR 101

Chapter
5
PACKAGING ASPECTS OF
WHEAT, RICE, MILLED
PRODUCTS AND SUGAR

A R Indiramma

Food Packaging Technology Department

Central Food Technological Research Institute
Mysore 570 020 (INDIA)
PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING
102 Chapter 5

PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING

PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,
MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR 103

Chapter 5

PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,

MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR

F ood grains are the rich source of life changes. As such, proper packaging and
sustaining nutrients. Cereals/flours are storage methods are essential for good
good carbohydrate sources. In addition, storage stability.
they provide protein, fat, vitamins, minerals,
etc. They are the dietary staples providing Sugar is another important commodity,
the required calories for more than 95% of which is stored in bulk and sold loose at
India’s population. Among them, rice is the retail stores throughout the year. The type of
spoilage and hence the packaging
predominant cereal grain followed by wheat,
requirement varies according to the type of
maize, millet and sorghum. Cereals are
sugar. White cane sugar which is more
annual crops but the consumption is
popular in India is crystallized enough not
throughout the year. Losses due to insect
to absorb water under normal storage
and rodent attack, microbial spoilage and
conditions. But at high relative humidities it
pilferage may occur during storage. Hence,
picks up moisture rapidly. To protect it from
proper and safe storage methods need to be
pilferage and spillage and insects like ant,
provided till they are consumed. Satisfactory proper packaging and storage methods are
storage can be achieved with proper and required.
suitable packaging materials. Cereals in
general are characterized by good storage
Nature and Deteriorative
stability, moderate density and low cost.
Characteristics of Cereals/
Despite their good storage stability, they are
Flours and Sugar
affected by high humidity, physiological
factors such as respiration and consequent In order to design functional and
heat build-up in grains, biological factors economical package for any food product,
like insects, pests, rodents and knowledge of its deteriorative characteri-
microorganisms and to some extent by stics on storage and the causes of deterio-
oxygen. Flours are more sensitive to humidity ration are essential. Cereal grains/flours
and are more prone to biological during storage are affected by the following
deteriorations than whole grains. All these factors mutually working with each other in
factors cause qualitative and quantitative causing deterioration.

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104 Chapter 5

1. Physical factors like temperature and and/or fungal activity. Higher the
humidity. temperature, lower will be the equilibrium
moisture content. Hence, for better storage
2. Chemical factors like moisture and stability of grains, the moisture should be
oxygen. about 11 – 12 % and 10-11% for flours at the
3. Physiological factors like respiration and time of packaging. If the moisture content is
heating. very close to or above the critical level, diurnal
changes in temperature can cause mould
4. Biological factors like insects and pests, growth due to moisture condensation on
microorganisms, rodents and birds. the surface. Insects and mites also depend
Moisture is the most important factor on grain moisture for their life. The optimum
among the ones related to rate of deterioration. level of moisture for most of the insects was
The data relating moisture content with found to be between 11 and 16% in grains;
relative humidity (Table 5.1) forms the basis 14% is the lowest moisture level, which
for package design. permits fungal invasion in most of the cereals.
Apart from controlling moisture, lowering of
An equilibrium relative humidity of more temperature and restricting oxygen supply
than 70% can lead to mould growth in grains also inhibit insect growth. Apart form these,
and flours. In whole grains, heating due to varietal differences, the degree of maturity,
increased respiration rate may result in insect methods of handling and transportation,

Table 5.1. Moisture and relative humidity data for grains & flours
RH EMC at 27° C, % Remarks
% Rice Wheat Atta Semolina Maida Grains Flour
11 6.4 4.5 5. 6.4 6.3 Brittle Very Dry
22 8.4 6.6 7.4 9.7 9.5 Slightly Free flowing
Brittle
32 9.8 7.5 8.4 10.0 10.2 Good Free flowing
44 11.6 8.9 9.5 11.4 11.1 Good Free flowing
56 12.9 9.9 10.6 12.4 12.5 Good Free flowing
64 13.9 11.1 12.1 13.8 13.4 Good Tendency for caking
70 14.8 12.0 13.0 14.4 14.0 Good Tendency for caking
75 15.5 13.0 13.6 15.1 15.0 Musty Soft and soggy
86 18.5 15.6 18.3 16.9 16.8 Mould Mould
92 23.0 22.3 24.2 18.8 18.9 Mould Mould
CMC 14.8 12 13-14 13.5-14.5 13-14 Good Tendency for caking
CRH 70
RH = Relative humidity CMC = Critical moisture content
EMC = Equilibrium moisture content CRH = Critical realtive humidity

PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING

PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,
MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR 105

and the number of broken/cracked kernels and disposable, and

also effect the storage stability.
8. Should conform to the food laws.
Sugar crystals are stable over a broad
band of relative humidity. Its moisture Current trends in Packaging and
content generally lies between 0.02 and 0.04%. Storage of Whole Grains/Flours
But once it is exposed to 86% RH and above, and Sugar
it suddenly picks up moisture and turns In order to preserve the quality and
watery. Hence, sugar is effected by moisture wholesomeness of cereal grains, many
above 85% RH only. Above this, it picks up storage methods are being employed. Cereals
moisture and when RH comes below due to are mostly stored loose in bulk, in a variety of
changes in either temperature or variations containers or in sacks stacked in warehouses.
in atmosphere, it dries out and crystals
agglomerate themselves together. It is also The method of choice of storage depends
susceptible to attack by insects like ant. on factors like:
1. Type and value of produce.
Packaging Requirements of
Grains/Flours and Sugar 2. Duration of storage.

To retard the above deterioration in the 3. Climate.

products, a functional package: 4. Transport system.
1. Should have the ability to protect the
contents from spoilage and spillage, The advantages and disadvantages
of bulk storage over sack storage are as
2. Should offer protection against follows:
environmental conditions, (should be a
Bulk Sacks
good barrier to moisture),
Inflexible storage Flexibility of
3. Should prevent insect infestation and storage
insect damage (should have good insect
Mechanizable Partly
resistant property),
mechanizable
4. Should offer protection against Rapid handling Slow handling
microorganisms, (should be oxygen
Little spillage Considerable
barrier to prevent their growth),
spillage
5. Should possess necessary strength High capital cost Low capital cost
properties to withstand mechanical
Low operating cost High operating
hazards during transportation and
cost
storage,
Low rodent loss High rodent loss
6. Should assist in selling by attractive potential potential
graphics,
Little protection Reinfestation
7. Should be economical, easily available against reinfestation occurs

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106 Chapter 5

5. Cost and availability of labour and sacks. Bag Storage of Grain /Flours /
6. Incidence of rodents and certain types of Sugar in Warehouses
insects and infestation. This is the most common method used
world wide for grain and sugar storage.
Bulk Storage of Grains
Grains and sugar are packed in jute / paper
Traditionally, grains are bulk stored in / rice straw / burlap / HDPE or PP woven
Bukhari type, Kothar type or Morai type bags and stored in a variety of types of
rural food structures constructed on elevated buildings constructed with stone, local brick,
platforms which are supported on timber corrugated iron, mud and wattle with or
posts or brick/stone masonary pillars. They without plastered walls and cement or stone
are constructed using bamboo/bamboo split, floor and corrugated iron or thatched roof.
timber, reeds, red gram stems plastered with Such types of godowns are planned for the
mud. Underground rural food grain storage of 100 to 500 tons of grains.
structures are also constructed and they are
made water proof using bitumen. Modern
methods of grain storage are an elaboration
of traditional method but are constructed
using modern materials. The bulk bins are
constructed with concrete, steel or glass lined
steel. A system to transport grains/flours
and by-products to the bins and a system of
feeders and conveyers to move flour and mill
feed to packaging bins, bulk rail road cars
and bulk trucks and to transfer them from
one bin to another are in practice. Air-tight
bulk storage silos keep the grain free from
insects, rodents and other pests. Here insects Fig. 5.1. Storage of grains in jute sacks
are killed by oxygen depletion and not by Jute /Hessian Sacks
carbon dioxide accumulation. Metal silos
up to 200 tons capacity are commonly used. These are traditional bulk packages, for
Flexible bag silos of butyl rubber or PVC grains/flours and sugar which offer good
supported in metal mesh cases are available. handling properties. The flours and sugar
But they need to be protected by rodents. require A- twill bags, which have a weave
Sometimes, to overcome the changes in clearance of 1-2% only to prevent spillage. B-
pressure during storage resulting from high twill or D. W. bags having a weave clearance
production of carbon dioxide, a pressure of 6-10% can be used for most of the cereals.
release valve is fitted at the top of the silo. The But as such they cannot protect the products
silos are well sealed to provide a hermeti- from moisture ingress. So stacked jute bags
cally sealed structure and are also suitable are covered with tarpaulin sheets. Their
for gas fumigation. The shelf life of the grain protective functions can be improved by
stored in silos depends largely on moisture inclusion of webs of paper, plastic and foil.
content of the grain and the storage These prevent sifting of the contents and
atmosphere. provide water vapour barrier property.

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PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,
MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR 107

Plastic Woven Sacks

Flat or circular woven plastic sacks of PP
or HDPE with suitable PE layer can be sued
for cereals/flours and sugar. They offer
good protection at high humidities
economically. Up to 100 kg product can be
packed in them. The relative merits and
demerits of jute and HDPE / PP woven sacks
are given in Table 5.2.

Multiwall Paper Sacks

For storage of flours and sugar below
86% RH, paper bags made of 3 – 7 plies of
kraft, union kraft or extensible kraft are Fig. 5.2. Plastic woven sacks
generally used to hold upto 50 kg capacity. being stacked
Table 5.2. Relative merits & demerits of jute sacks & HDPE/PP woven sacks
Jute sacks HDPE / PP woven sacks
Good stack stability: Poor stacking and destacking (unstable stacks
with perpetual chances of stack collapse). This
has been solved by antislip woven sacks.
Good breathability, poor moisture Good breathability in unlined woven sacks,
protection good moisture protection in lined woven sacks.
Higher incidence of bag damage Better endurance and recyclable.
indicating poor end-use performance.
Amenable for use of hooks and Poor recovery of holes caused by hooks which
better reclosure. increases grain seepage. This has been overcome
in antislip woven (PP/HDPE) bags.
Poor mechanical strength. Good mechanical strength and lends for re-use.
Natural and have no problem with Synthetic; need to be checked for safety and
standards for safety. But should should conform to IS 14887.
conform to standards IS 2566, 3984,
12650, 15138.
Contamination of food grains by jute No such contamination can occur. Hygeinic &
batching oils present in the jute bags aesthetic.
may occur.
Spillage may occur during Least spillage during transportation.
transportation.
Costiler than plastic woven sacks Cheaper than jute sacks.

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108 Chapter 5

Laminating them further with PE/PP and/

or aluminum foil lining would further
increase their utility.
The advantage of bag storage over bulk
storage of grains is that bags may be piled
under any convenient shelter and can be
transported and handled without special
equipment. The main disadvantage is that
bag's storage space and bagging become
expensive particularly where manday
charges are high. Under-water storage of
grains in 60 kg unit packs packed in double Fig. 5.3. Rice packs in units of 1 to 25 kg
plastic bags with nylon inner bag and nylon/
Al. foil/ PE outer bag was found to retain above 10 kg unit packs. But as they are highly
original freshness of the product even after vulnerable to vermin infestation, plastic
prolonged storage. The seeds protected woven sacks are being used for the purpose.
under water found to have better germination Up to 10 kg unit packs, both LDPE and
capacity than those stored by conventional LLDPE meet the requirements and blends of
methods. Carbon dioxide packaging is more the two, with LLDPE being used for
effective than air. Low temperature storage additional strength, are the most commonly
in straw or gunny bags also yields better used packaging materials.
results. To protect special variety products like
Basmati rice, brown rice and flours from
Unit Packages
flavour loss and from development of
Retail packaging is the key to successful
marketing of modern food products. It goes
beyond eye appeal, convenience in size, shape
and ease of opening. The product is to be
protected against infestation, contamination,
entry of oxygen and moisture.
The main function of the unit packages
for cereal flours and sugar is containment of
a measured quantity. So the consumer knows
how much he or she is buying and the
merchant knows how much to charge quickly
and easily for the transaction. As the bulk
density of these products is high, packaging
material needs to have good impact strength
and good tensile strength for working on FFS
machines and good puncture resistance as
some grains have sharp edges. Textile / jute Fig. 5.4. Attractive unit packages
/ burlap bags are used for this purpose for for milled products

PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING

PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,
MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR 109

oxidative rancidity, flavour barrier protection from oxidative rancidity for any
packaging material is needed. Hence, reverse foodgrain. Vacuum packed bag in boxes are
printed polyester laminated to LDPE for good for transportation also. Shelf-life of
longer shelf-life and coextruded LDPE/ over 2 years can be expected for vacuum
LLDPE are used. PET/LDPE laminate, apart packed rice when stored at 17-30°C and 65-
from protecting flavour loss and rancidity, 85% RH. But these oxygen barrier materials
retards insect infestation, prevents pick up are expensive. Hence, to protect the products
of foreign odours and offers excellent printing from off-flavours developed due to rancidity,
surface. Antioxidants like BHT have a better perforated bags are being used to allow rancid
effect when rice is packed in an oxygen barrier odour to escape.
film . Vacuum / CO2 flush packaging also Insect Infestation in Grains and
extends shelf life of brown rice. Brown rice, Flours
which has 3–6 months shelf life in LDPE
bags, will have about one year shelf life when Insect infestation is a major problem in
vacuum packed in nylon based laminates. grains and flours. They are the prime targets
Vacuum or CO2 flush packaging can control of many predators like insects, pests, rodents,
pests and insects without fumigation or mites and undesirable microorganisms.
usage of chemicals apart from offering Besides destroying a significant portion of
food, they qualitatively affect the remaining
part through excretion of toxic chemicals
and contamination with excreta and insect
fragments. Standards specify maximum
limits for these parameters. Though insect
penetration can be controlled by using
different packaging materials, initial insect
contamination should be destroyed at
the time of packing. Insect resistance of
packaging materials for some common
insects is presented in Table 5.3. Vacuum or
CO2 packaging can prevent the development
of pests inside the bag. But the high barrier
films required for them are expensive. Hence
periodic treatment with permitted pesticides
only can prevent reinfestation or cross
infestation. The grains are to be fumigated or
irradiated or treated with microwave.
Permeabilities of different films and
laminates to fumigants are given in Table
5.4. When used in the recommended dosages,
shelf-life of grains will be extended to more
than 6 months as against one month for the
untreated product. These methods have been
Fig.5.5. Retail packs of basmati rice in PET/ found to be most effective in controlling pests
LDPE laminates of 1 and 5 kg units. in grains / flours.

PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING

110 Chapter 5

Table 5.3. Insect resistance of some films and laminates

Films Time of penetration in months for different insects
Sitophilus Rhizopertha Stegobium Tribolium
oryzae dominica panicium castaneum
LDPE 50 µm <1 <1 >3 <3
LDPE 100 µm <2 <2 >3 >3
HDPE 25 µm <¼ <2 >3 >3
HDPE 50 µm 2 2 >3 >3
HDPE 75 µm >3 >3 >3 >3
Polypropylene 50 µm >3 >3 >3 >3
Polypropylene 75 µm >3 >3 >3 >3
75 µm MXXT Cellophane <¼ <1 >3 >3
75 µm MXXDT Cello/LDPE 37 µm < 1 <2 >3 >3
PET 12 µm/LDPE 75 µm >3 >3 >3 >3
MET.PET 12 µm/LDPE 37 µm >3 >3 >3 >3
PET 12 µm/Al.Foil 0.02 mm/ >3 >3 >3 >3
LDPE 37 µm
75 µm Cello /Al.Foil 0.2 mm/ >3 >3 >3 >3
LDPE 37 µm
Test Conditions: Temperature: 25—28°C, RH: 70-75%. Source: Narasimhan et al., 1986

Recent Trends
Retail packaging being the present trend,
the stress is on use of more decoration,
transparency, simplification of package
construction and production of packages by
automatic means. Since preservation in
smaller packages is more difficult, use of
increased quantities of films and laminates
for improved protection and increased shelf
life will become popular. This will be
expensive as more storage space and more
packaging materials are required. Hence, a
Fig. 5.6. Bags being prepared unit package must be carefully designed and
for fumigation. automatically packed for cost reduction.

PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING

 Table 5.4. Permeability of packaging films to different fumigants
Methyl bromide Ethylene dibromide Methyl formate Ethyl Formate Phosphine
32 mg/L 32 mg/L 32 mg/L 44 mg/L 1.5 mg/L
Films MC P% PR MC P% PR MC P% PR MC P% PR MC P% PR
HDPE 25 µm 14.7 31.0 42.0 11.2 35.0 63.0 20.7 47.0 113.0 12.4 40.5 72.9 0.24 16.0 1.3
HDPE 50 µm 14.5 30.0 41.0 9.3 28.5 51.0 6.5 20.5 50.1 5.8 24.0 43.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
HDPE 75 µm 12.9 23.3 29.0 8.1 18.8 34.0 6.0 15.0 36.4 7.0 21.2 36.4 0.0 0.0 0.0
Polyethylene 50 µm 14.5 30.0 41.0 9.2 28.5 31.0 7.4 17.0 41.0 8.7 29.1 52.4 0.05 3.2 0.26

PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING

Polyethylene 75 µm 11.6 18.0 25.0 9.2 28.5 31.0 3.0 7.2 71.3 7.0 24.0 43.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
MILLED PRODUCTS AND SUGAR

MXXT Cello 75 µm 12.7 22.3 31.0 9.0 27.9 49.0 20.7 47.1 113.9 2.9 26.5 47.8 0.25 16.6 1.3
MXXDT Cello 75 µm/ 8.7 6.4 9.0 8.0 29.9 46.0 25.7 25.4 61.5 13.9 44.3 79.6 0.14 8.8 0.72
PACKAGING ASPECTS OF WHEAT, RICE,

LDPE 37 µm
PET 12 µm/LDPE 75 µm 11.4 17.5 24.0 4.2 30.0 23.0 18.6 42.4 102.5 14.5 46.8 84.3 0.5 3.2 0.26
Met. PET 12 µm/LDPE 37 µm12.2 20.8 28.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.2 30.1 72.9 7.9 26.5 47.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
PET 12 µm/Al Foil 10.4 13.2 18.0 7.3 20.7 40.0 17.8 40.5 78.0 8.3 27.8 50.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.02 mm/LDPE 37 µm
Paper 15 µm/Al.Foil 12.4 26.1 29.0 5.9 18.8 32.0 5.7 13.2 31.9 5.4 19.0 34.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.02 mm/LDPE 37 µm
Paper 15 µm/Al.Foil 5.0 15.3 27.0 5.5 16.2 28.0 2.0 4.7 11.3 2.5 10.1 18.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.02 mm/LDPE 37 µm
Glassine 40 gsm 8.7 6.6 9.0 6.4 20.0 23.0 22.0 50.0 120.7 8.3 27.8 50.1 0.05 3.2 0.26
Test Conditions: Temperature: 25—28°C, RH: 70-75%.
MC= Mean Concentration, mg/L; P= Transmission rate, % through the films.
PA = Transmission rate, mg/h.m2
Source: Narasimhan et al., 1986
111
112 Chapter 5

Conclusion (wheat flour) under tropical conditions.

J Food Sci Technol, 8(3): 134-139.
The critical moisture for cereals and flours
being less than14%, care should be taken Balasubrahmanyam N (1995). Packaging
that the moisture content of the products is of cereal and pulse based products. In:
well below the critical moisture level at the Profile on Food Packaging, CFTRI,
time of packaging when sold at places where Mysore.
RH is above 70%. If a proper method like Balasubramanyam N and Murali Krishna V
fumigation/irradiation to kill the insects is (1994). Sorption characteristics and
followed, insect infestation can be controlled. packaging of milled wheat products.
Sugar needs protection above 86% RH. For Indian Miller, 17(3): 33-39.
bulk storage of grain, metal silos which offer
BIS (1971). IS 607. Code of practice for
good air tight storage condition, is the most
construction of bagged foodgrain storage
modern and scientific method for longer shelf-
life compared to other methods. Low structure. Bureau of Indian Standards,
temperature storage is more effective for long- New Delhi.
term storage for grains. Bag storage in BIS (1983). IS 603. Code of practice for
warehouses is very common for grains and construction of underground rural
sugar. Jute / HDPE / PP woven sacks are foodgrain storage structure. Bureau of
being emphasized. Government of India Indian Standards, New Delhi.
through Gazette notification has allowed
BIS (1984). IS 2566. B.Twill jute bags for
food grains to be packed in non-jute bags
packing foodgrains. Bureau of Indian
upto 40% and sugar upto 50%. Woven plastic
Standards, New Delhi.
sacks will register highest growth rate, if
they are allowed to compete with jute sacks BIS (1986). IS 600. Code of practice for
without restriction owing to their construction of Bukhari type rural food
advantages. Unit packages for sugar and grain storage structure. Bureau of Indian
flours are becoming popular. Pigmented 75 Standards, New Delhi.
µm LDPE, LLDPE, PET/PE films are good BIS (1986). IS 601. Code of practice for
for the purpose. construction of kothar type rural food-
It can be concluded that packaging for grain storage structure. Bureau of Indian
cereals/flours and sugar is vital and Standards, New Delhi.
necessary for storage, handling, display and
BIS (1986). IS 602. Code of practice for
preservation of these products in the present
construction of Morai type rural food-
economy. However, since these are essential
grain storage structure. Bureau of Indian
commodities, packaging must accomplish
all its functions at the lowest possible cost. Standards, New Delhi.
As such, minimizing losses using BIS (1997). IS 12650. Jute bags for packing 50
economical packaging is the need of the kg foodgrains. Bureau of Indian Stan-
hour. dards, New Delhi.
BIS (2000). IS 14887. HDPE/PP woven -
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PLASTICS IN FOOD PACKAGING