Packaging quality control
Description
Packaging quality control involves analyzing its physicochemical, mechanical, and regulatory properties to ensure it meets its intended use. This assessment is essential to guarantee that the materials used comply with applicable standards, effectively protect the contents, withstand the conditions of use, and do not pose a risk to the consumer or the environment. Packaging plays a vital role in the safety of food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and technical products. Its composition, stability, and performance must therefore be controlled at every stage of the production cycle.
Importance of quality control
Non-compliant packaging can compromise product safety, alter its stability, cause unwanted migration, or lead to structural defects. Quality control verifies the compatibility of the material with the product it contains, prevents degradation, and optimizes technical performance. It is particularly important for food packaging, which is subject to strict regulations regarding overall and specific migration. It also allows for the verification of the mechanical resistance of packaging materials exposed to compression, drop, bending, or deformation stresses. Finally, it is a strategic tool for ensuring traceability, validating material formulations, and managing risks associated with additives, colorings, fillers, or contaminants.
Analytical methods
Packaging quality control employs various methods depending on the manufacturer's needs and the type of material being studied.
Global and specific migration tests assess the potential transfer of substances from the material to the contained product, a crucial criterion for food and cosmetic packaging.
FTIR spectroscopy provides reliable identification of polymers and additives present in a material. It is also used to detect contamination, characterize defects, and analyze transformations related to material aging.
Mechanical tests include measurements of tensile, tear, impact, compression, and puncture resistance. These tests verify the robustness, durability, and compliance of packaging with logistical and operational constraints.
Depending on the materials and requirements, other analyses can complement the quality control: thickness measurement, oxygen and water vapor permeability testing, thermal characterization, and identification of processing residues.
Analyzed matrices
Quality control applies to a wide range of packaging used in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and industrial sectors: plastics (PE, PP, PET, PS, PVC), paper and cardboard, multilayer composite materials, films, sheets, trays, bottles, technical packaging textiles, and recycled or biodegradable materials. Each material has its own specific characteristics: thermal stability, mechanical behavior, migration rate, and compatibility with the packaged products. Analysis thus provides a comprehensive view of the material's performance and conformity.
Interest for professionals
For packaging manufacturers, processors, and end users, quality control is a key performance factor. It enables the rapid identification of defects, validation of raw material conformity, optimization of formulations, and adjustment of production processes. Distributors, brands, and engineering firms rely on these analyses to ensure their products comply with European standards, enhance consumer safety, and prevent non-compliance risks. R&D departments use these results to develop more durable, safer, and more environmentally friendly packaging.
YesWeLab Expertise
YesWeLab collaborates with a network of laboratories specializing in the physicochemical and mechanical analysis of packaging materials. The majority of our partners are certified or accredited (ISO 17025, COFRAC), guaranteeing analytical quality that meets industry requirements. We support you in defining your needs, selecting appropriate methods, managing samples, and interpreting results. Thanks to our digital platform, manufacturers have access to a fast, structured, and reliable service to secure their production chain and document their regulatory compliance.
