Loss of odor/ taste

Some edible products and perfumes are intentionally flavored or contain odors necessary for their functioning. Ideally, packaging helps to prevent the loss of the anticipated odor or flavour characteristics whilst simultaneouslyavoids the acquisition of external scents.

Light

Some drug and food products are sensitive to Ultraviolet Catalyzed oxidation. Materials such as metal and paper function in this preservation method providing an opaqueness to block light from entering the product. This method rarely applies to non-food products.

Temperature Extremes

Refrigeration is used for food products to increase their shelf life. During distribution, most food products are exposed to winter temperatures. The flexibility of typical plastic films and low temperatures ensures the retention of food substances. For food items that require heating or cooking in the package heat tolerant plastic films are used that avoid melting and the release of chemical components into the food during the process.

Product Concealment

While most products benefit from being visible in their packaging some products such as fragile salty snacks are often packaged in opaque materials to limit the breakage of the bites. Products like flour are packaged in opaque bags or boxes with attractive graphics. By contrast products like beef stew or dog foods have an unattractive appearance and use concealment in packages with attractive images to hide their contents.