8.6.3  Packaging and storage

Packaging is a means of safeguarding food when it is raw, or after it has been processed or prepared. It helps to protect food against harmful contaminants in the environment or conditions that promote food spoilage including light, oxygen and moisture. The type of packaging is a key factor in ensuring that the food is protected. Packaging of foods in cans, jars, cartons, plastics or paper also serves to ensure food safety if it is intact, because it provides protection against the entry of microorganisms, dust, dirt, insects, chemicals and foreign material.