{"id":5109,"date":"2026-08-28T03:19:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T03:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/?p=5109"},"modified":"2026-08-28T03:19:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T03:19:20","slug":"frozen-food-packaging-material-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Doesn\u2019t Frozen Food Packaging Crack at -18\u00b0C? The Material Science Behind Frozen Pizza Packaging"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walk into the frozen food section of a supermarket and pick up a bag of frozen French fries or a frozen pizza. Few people stop to think about one question: <strong>Why can this thin plastic packaging remain in a -18\u00b0C cold storage environment for a year without becoming brittle, cracking, or leaking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer lies in material science and precision manufacturing. What looks like an ordinary flexible packaging film is actually the result of multiple materials working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For frozen food brands, choosing the right <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/?page_id=10\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"22\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0433\u0438\u0431\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u0438\u0449\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0443\u043f\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043a\u0438<\/a><\/strong> is therefore important because packaging must maintain its mechanical strength, sealing performance, and flexibility under low-temperature conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">\u041e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#Plastic_Can_Also_%E2%80%9CFreeze%E2%80%9D\" >Plastic Can Also \u201cFreeze\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#Three_Layers_Working_Together\" >Three Layers Working Together<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#Printing_Is_More_Than_Just_Adding_a_Pattern\" >Printing Is More Than Just Adding a Pattern<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#Lamination_Bonding_Different_Materials_Together\" >Lamination: Bonding Different Materials Together<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#Sealing_The_Final_Line_of_Defense\" >Sealing: The Final Line of Defense<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#The_Invisible_Safety_Requirements\" >The Invisible Safety Requirements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/frozen-food-packaging-material-science\/#Conclusion\" >\u0417\u0430\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Plastic_Can_Also_%E2%80%9CFreeze%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Plastic Can Also \u201cFreeze\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ordinary plastic bags can become brittle after prolonged exposure to low temperatures. This happens because low temperatures reduce the flexibility of polymer molecular chains, changing the material from something like a rubber band into something closer to a glass rod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Frozen food packaging cannot behave this way. It needs to withstand handling, stacking, and dropping at <strong>-18\u00b0C or even -35\u00b0C<\/strong>, while keeping the package properly sealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This requires a key property: <strong>low-temperature toughness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a <strong>frozen food packaging manufacturer<\/strong>, material selection must therefore consider not only normal-temperature performance but also how the film behaves throughout the frozen storage and transportation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Three_Layers_Working_Together\"><\/span>Three Layers Working Together<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Frozen food packaging rarely relies on a single layer of plastic. Instead, it commonly uses a <strong>multilayer laminated structure<\/strong>, such as <strong>\u041f\u042d\u0422\/\u041d\u0419\/\u041f\u042d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Layer<\/th><th>\u041c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0430\u043b<\/th><th>\u0424\u0443\u043d\u043a\u0446\u0438\u044f<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Outer layer<\/td><td>PET (Polyester)<\/td><td>Provides stiffness and printability, acting like the structural \u201cskeleton\u201d of the package<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Middle layer<\/td><td>NY (Nylon)<\/td><td>Provides puncture resistance and low-temperature performance, helping prevent ice, bones, or sharp food ingredients from damaging the package<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Inner layer<\/td><td>\u041f\u042d (\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u044d\u0442\u0438\u043b\u0435\u043d)<\/td><td>Serves as the heat-sealing layer<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this structure, the PE layer can use special <strong>metallocene PE (mPE)<\/strong>, which can remain flexible even at temperatures down to around <strong>-40\u00b0C<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ordinary PE can become brittle at low temperatures, while <strong>mPE<\/strong> has a more controlled molecular structure that helps maintain flexibility under frozen conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Printing_Is_More_Than_Just_Adding_a_Pattern\"><\/span>Printing Is More Than Just Adding a Pattern<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The attractive graphics on frozen food packaging can be printed using <strong>two-component polyurethane cold-resistant inks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ordinary inks may become brittle or peel at low temperatures and can also create concerns regarding unwanted substance migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another important factor is <strong>solvent residue control<\/strong>. Solvents such as ethyl acetate and isopropyl alcohol are used during printing. If excessive residue remains, it can create odor or contamination concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original production requirement specifies total residual solvents of <strong>\u22645 mg\/m\u00b2<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After printing, the flexible packaging film needs to remain in a temperature- and humidity-controlled curing room for approximately <strong>48\u201372 hours<\/strong>, allowing solvents to evaporate sufficiently and the adhesive to fully cross-link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/custom-solution\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"358\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">custom frozen food packaging<\/a><\/strong> project, these printing and curing processes need to be considered together with the final packaging application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lamination_Bonding_Different_Materials_Together\"><\/span>Lamination: Bonding Different Materials Together<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Different film materials cannot simply be placed together. They need to be bonded through <strong>dry lamination<\/strong> using <strong>freezer-resistant polyurethane adhesive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One important detail is that the curing temperature should not be excessively high. Temperatures above 60\u00b0C may negatively affect the flexibility of the adhesive layer at low temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recommended curing temperature is approximately <strong>45\u201350\u00b0C<\/strong>, with curing taking more than two days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the curing process is rushed, the adhesive layer may later experience delamination during long-term frozen storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/?page_id=10\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"22\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flexible packaging manufacture<\/a>r<\/strong>, controlling the lamination and curing process is therefore essential for maintaining package integrity in frozen applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sealing_The_Final_Line_of_Defense\"><\/span>Sealing: The Final Line of Defense<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even strong packaging materials cannot compensate for poor sealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Frozen food packaging machines may seal approximately <strong>80\u2013120 bags per minute<\/strong>, so the heat-sealing layer needs to maintain stable sealing performance across a relatively broad temperature range of <strong>120\u2013160\u00b0C<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before shipment, each production batch can undergo several quality checks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Heat-seal strength test:<\/strong> The seal should withstand a tensile force of <strong>\u226540 N<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Negative-pressure sealing test:<\/strong> The package is vacuum-tested to <strong>-0.08 MPa for 30 seconds<\/strong> without leakage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Frozen drop test:<\/strong> A package filled with water is frozen solid and dropped freely from a height of <strong>1.2 meters<\/strong> without breaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These tests help verify whether the frozen food packaging film can maintain its performance during storage and transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Invisible_Safety_Requirements\"><\/span>The Invisible Safety Requirements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Frozen food packaging is a type of <strong>food-contact packaging<\/strong>, so products exported to different markets need to comply with the corresponding food-contact regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u041d\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0440:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>United States:<\/strong> FDA 21 CFR requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>European Union:<\/strong> EU 10\/2011 requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Other markets:<\/strong> Applicable local food-contact material and migration testing requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means that factors ranging from heavy metals in printing pigments to potential migration from adhesives into food products need to be evaluated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Total migration and other relevant testing indicators may also need to be verified through laboratory testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For international buyers, confirming applicable food-contact requirements with the packaging supplier before production can help reduce compliance risks later in the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>\u0417\u0430\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next time you take a perfectly intact bag of frozen French fries or a frozen pizza out of the freezer, take another look at the thin layer of packaging around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behind that packaging are carefully selected material structures, controlled printing and solvent residues, controlled lamination and curing processes, and strict sealing and quality testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A frozen pizza may have a shelf life of <strong>12 months<\/strong>, but its packaging needs to withstand low temperatures and transportation conditions throughout that entire period without losing its protective function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the invisible strength of modern flexible food packaging manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For brands sourcing frozen food packaging, working with an experienced <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/?page_id=10\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"22\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0433\u0438\u0431\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u0438\u0449\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0443\u043f\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043a\u0438<\/a><\/strong> can help connect material selection, printing, lamination, sealing, and quality control into one production process.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Walk into the frozen food section of a supermarket and pick up a bag of frozen French fries or a frozen pizza. Few people stop to think about one question: Why can this thin plastic packaging remain in a -18\u00b0C cold storage environment for a year without becoming brittle, cracking, or leaking? The answer lies [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5109"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5109\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.topchinapack.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}