For small businesses in the food industry, selecting the right freezer storage bags is an important decision. Generally speaking, poly bags are a durable, cost-effective food storage solution that will ensure your inventory stays safe and fresh in the freezer. That said, there are a wide variety of poly bag options to choose from — and certain types of poly bags can withstand the low temperatures of a freezer better than others. 

In this article, we’ll be exploring some key considerations to help you select the best freezer bags for your small business, including:

  • Food-Grade Plastic
  • Material Considerations
  • Shapes and Sizes to Fit Your Needs

Food-Grade Plastic

Whenever you’re storing or packaging food in plastic, it’s essential to use bags or containers that are made with food-grade plastic. This means that the plastic has been deemed safe for food use by a certifying authority.

To qualify as food-grade, both the material and the manufacturing facility need to meet stringent requirements put forth by the FDA and other regulatory organizations. Upon successfully meeting these requirements, the manufacturer is eligible to receive a food-grade certification, such as the FSSC 22000

A food-grade certification is an assurance that the plastic poses no contamination risk and is durable enough to properly protect food items. So, when assessing plastic freezer bags for your small business, check to make sure the plastic is food-grade certified.

Material Considerations for Freezer Applications

When it comes to food storage, LDPE (low-density polyethylene) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) are the most common poly bag materials — each providing a unique set of advantages. Given its higher density, HDPE is stronger and more durable than LDPE, making it a better option for bulk quantities or items with rigid corners or edges. LDPE, on the other hand, is more flexible and transparent, which often makes it preferable for small quantities and consumer packaging.

While LDPE and HDPE are both suitable materials for food packaging and storage, the extreme temperature of a freezer presents an additional factor that needs to be taken into account. Freezing temperatures cause polyethylene to stiffen — and this sometimes undermines its durability (making it more susceptible to rips and cracks). For this reason, you should consider the following material alternatives when evaluating the best freezer bags for your small business:

  1. Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA). When EVA is added to LDPE, this results in an even more flexible material that’s highly resilient in cold temperatures — making it a fantastic option for freezer storage bags.

 

  1. Metallocene. This special form of LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) provides excellent strength/durability at low temperatures. Although it is typically more expensive than LLDPE, the enhanced strength of metallocene blends can yield a favorable cost-benefit ratio if durability is a top priority.

Now that we’ve covered material considerations, let’s discuss how to select the right bag type and size…

Shapes and Sizes Ideal for Freezer Storage

Plastic freezer bags come in many different shapes and sizes, so you’ll need to determine the best bag type and size for your specific application. Bags that are too small will be problematic because the contents won’t fit properly inside. Conversely, bags that are too large will waste material (i.e. cost) and space.

*Side note: Continuing on the notion of waste, many poly bag suppliers have minimum order requirements and this often leads small business owners to order more bags than they actually need, wasting materials and budget. That’s why, at A-Pac Manufacturing, we’re committed to fulfilling any order quantity with no minimum order requirements.

To select the appropriate bag type and size, you’ll need to know the dimensions or volume of the items you’ll be storing. Once you have the dimensions and volume of the products, you can then choose a corresponding bag type and size for an optimal fit. To elaborate, here are three of the most common poly bag types for food storage along with a measuring guide for each:

Flat Poly Bags

Standard flat bags are one of the most popular poly bag styles. The simple rectangular shape has only two dimensions (length and width) and can be ordered in virtually any size. Sealing methods include heat seal, tie, staple, and tape.

flat poly bags

Gusseted Poly Bags

Gusseted bags have collapsible side walls that expand to increase the bag’s volume while maintaining a fitted shape. This bag style is great for saving space. It also comes with the additional advantage of being able to stand upright when filled.

Gusseted poly bags

Wicketed Poly Bags

Wicketed bags are designed to increase packing speed/efficiency. The tops of the bags are held together on a thin wire (wicket) to promote quick-and-easy dispensing. You can also mount the bag stack on a blower to automate bag opening and make the packing process even faster.

wicketed poly bags

Need freezer storage bags for your small business? We can help!

When deciding which poly bags to use for your small business, it’s advisable to speak with an expert. At A-Pac Manufacturing, we take pride in offering high-quality, customizable poly bags in any size, and in any quantity. Contact our team to learn more about how we can supply the perfect plastic freezer bags to fit your needs.

How to Choose the Right Poly Bag to fit your needs cta