Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F038807-0002, Wolfsburg, VW Autowerk

Food storage containers are widespread in use throughout the world and have probably been in use since the first human civilizations.

Early civilizations

In early civilizations cereal grains such as

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...

etc. were stored in large airy buildings, often raised up from the ground to reduce infestation by pests and

vermin Vermin (colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops or livestock. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterpr ...

. Ancient Egyptian and early Hebrew writings include reference to such buildings and their successors can still be seen in use in less developed countries and regions. Smaller quantities of food were stored in

basket A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...

s made from woven

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

es or

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

and such designs have remained in use to the present day. In more recent times but prior to the invention of the refrigerator many food products were stored in the home as preserves or pickles, often in heat sealed jars such as

Kilner jar A Kilner jar is a rubber-sealed, screw-topped jar used for preserving (bottling) food. It was first produced by John Kilner & Co., Yorkshire, England. History The Kilner Jar was originally invented by John Kilner (1792-1857) and associate ...

Modern containers

In the modern developed world, a very wide range of

food packaging Food packaging is a packaging system specifically designed for food and represents one of the most important aspects among the processes involved in the food industry, as it provides protection from chemical, biological and physical alterations ...

and containers is now available made from many materials. ;

Plastic container Plastic containers are containers made exclusively or partially of plastic. Plastic containers are ubiquitous either as single-use or reuseable/durable plastic cups, plastic bottles, plastic bags, foam food containers, Tupperware, plastic tubes ...

s Many products use

low-density polyethylene Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a thermoplastic made from the monomer ethylene. It was the first grade of polyethylene, produced in 1933 by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) using a high pressure process via free radical polymerization. Its ...

formed into

plastic bag A plastic bag, poly bag, or pouch is a type of container made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, c ...

s or plastic boxes. There are many makers of plastic boxes some such as

Tupperware Tupperware is an American home products line that includes preparation, storage, and serving products for the kitchen and home. In 1942, Earl Tupper developed his first bell-shaped container; the brand products were introduced to the public in 1 ...

and Lock & Lock are known throughout much of the developed world. ;Metal containers Longer term storage or storage of items needing a higher degree of protection from the elements may use

sheet metal Sheet metal is metal formed into thin, flat pieces, usually by an industrial process. Sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes. Thicknesses can vary significantly; ex ...

. A common form of such storage is the

biscuit tin Biscuit tins are utilitarian or decorative containers used to package and sell biscuits (such as those served during tea) and some confectionery. Invented by Huntley & Palmers in 1831, they are commonly found in households in Great Britain, Irela ...

. ''See

Canning Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container (jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although u ...

.'' ;Refrigerator Perhaps the most ubiquitous domestic item of

food storage Food storage is a way of decreasing the variability of the food supply in the face of natural, inevitable variability. p.507 It allows food to be eaten for some time (typically weeks to months) after harvest rather than solely immediately. I ...

is the

fridge A refrigerator, colloquially fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to its external environment so th ...

or fridge-freezer in which a wide variety of foodstuffs are contained and preserved through the use of low temperatures. ;Disposable Disposable food containers, a form of

disposable food packaging Disposable food packaging comprises disposable products often found in fast food restaurants, takeout restaurants and kiosks, and catering establishments. Food-serving items for picnics and parties are very similar. Typical disposable foodserv ...

, may be used for food or beverages. Disposable containers are often made of paper or paperboard, plastic (including

plastic foam A polymeric foam is a foam, in liquid or solidified form, formed from polymers. Examples include: * Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, the copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate; also referred to as polyethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA) * Low-den ...

), or aluminum.

Industrial food storage containers

Wherever food is

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

ed, manufactured or distributed there is a need for containers to enable the food to travel securely and in good condition to the

shop Shop or shopping refers to: Business and commerce * A casual word for a commercial establishment or for a place of business * Machine shop, a workshop for machining *"In the shop", referring to a car being at an automotive repair shop *A wood s ...

warehouse A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities ...

or distribution depot. For many foods, especially those in their own individual containers such as canned vegetables, the common container is the

corrugated fiberboard Corrugated fiberboard or corrugated cardboard is a type of packaging material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is made on "flute lamination machines" or "corrugators" and is used for making corrugated ...

box, Corrugated boxes are available in many sizes. A variety of

Bulk box A bulk box, also known as a bulk bin, skid box, pallet box, bin box, gaylord, or octabin is a pallet-size box used for storage and shipping of bulk quantities. In the U.S. and Canada, the term ''gaylord'' is sometimes used for triplewall corru ...

es are also used.

References

*Robertson, G. L. (2013). "Food Packaging: Principles & Practice". CRC Press. *Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, *Yam, K.L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009,

External links

* {{Kitchen tools

Early civilizations

Modern containers

Industrial food storage containers

See also

References

External links