Have you ever wondered what cheese is wrapped in to keep it fresh until you buy it? Cheese producers select several options based on the desired presentation, storage time, and type of cheese. In short, Careful packaging designed to preserve the taste of the cheese from them to you.
Cheese film sheets are one option chosen by cheese producers and resellers from grocery stores to fromageries. Cheese film sheets are transparent, square sheets of plastic on a roll that are wrapped around cheese or other food products. Once wrapped, the bottom of the film can be placed on a hot plate momentarily to mend the open ends together. The sheets are perforated in various sizes available.
These specialized sheets are recommended for direct contact with cheese, meat, poultry, and confectionery products. The film tightly conforms to the food item for a clear display of the product. Once complete, labels and barcodes can be applied to the film for branding and scanning.
Items with an oily medium top layer are not ideal for the cheese film sheets. Products such as the ones below should not be used with cheese film sheets:
- Bakery items: Cookies, pastries, and other goods containing fat.
- Chocolate: Any item with surface fat.
These perforated rolls are often confused with printers film because they look the same and come in comparable sizes. The two films differ significantly in the benefits they offer. Many printers film options are not safe for direct food contact. Some are cling, meaning they do not require heat, and others are shrink sheets that require heat to mend the open ends together. The cheese film is made from 46-gauge PVDC.
This high-barrier film keeps cheese moist, unlike other PVC films. Key features include:
- Moisture and air regulation: The film creates a protective barrier to prevent cheese from drying out or developing mold, while some types allow for a controlled exchange of air, allowing the cheese to “breathe”. Cheese will not dry out or lose moisture, for a fresher appearance.
- Odor protection: They prevent strong cheese odors from spreading to other foods in the refrigerator and block odors from other foods from contaminating the cheese.
- Extended shelf life: By managing moisture and oxygen, these films help prolong the freshness of cheese, often by several weeks.
- Versatility: Sheets can be pre-perforated for easy tearing, and rolls provide a long-lasting supply for various cheese shapes and sizes.
- Commercial use: They are ideal for delis, supermarkets, and restaurants, providing a professional appearance while maintaining product quality.
Cheese film sheets are available in a variety of stock sizes, ranging from 8” x 8” (1,800 sheets) to 16” x 16” (1,000 sheets).
Cheese film sheets are different from other perforated cling and shrink films. The perforated all purpose plastic wrap comes in 35-gauge sheets of various sizes, and the printer’s cling film is available in a wide variety of sizes and up to 1,000 sheets per case. The cling film wraps snugly around the products, but cannot be subjected to heat.
The printer’s shrink film comes from 12” to 28” sheets of 60-gauge perforated squares and is used with a hot plate for shrinking.
Unlike cheese film sheets, printer’s shrink film, and printer’s cling film cannot be used for food products. They are best for wrapping a variety of printed stationery and non-consumable products.
The all-purpose plastic wrap can be used with a wide range of products, including food, but it should not be used with heat. The material will melt quickly if placed on a hot plate. The cheese film sheets also have more robust oxygen barrier properties, sealing in moisture at least five times better than other PVC films.
U.S. Packaging & Wrapping sells two types of dispensers for the cheese film sheets. The first is the perforated wrap dispenser, a durable stainless steel dispenser with a pointed edge for quickly tearing pre-cut sheets.
The dispenser is 10” wide by 9.5” in depth and 7” tall, and it weighs five pounds. It is capable of holding a roll up to 20 inches wide. It is fully washable and submersible.
The plastic wrap and shrink wrap dispenser can also be used. This sturdy metal plastic wrap dispenser is made to dispense perforated plastic wrap and perforated shrink wrap. The pointed edge is made to push through the rolls for easy tearing. Non-skid footers prevent the dispenser from moving on the countertop, and easy-set hanger holes enable fast wall-mount dispensing as needed.
U.S. Packaging & Wrapping offers a variety of high-quality packaging solutions. For your packaging needs, visit our website at uspackagingandwrapping.com or contact us by phone at 1-800-441-5090 or by email at customerservice@uspackagingandwrapping.com
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