Pickle in glass jars is the choice made by many leading brands. To keep the pickle freshness and quality for a long time, it is important that it maintains a proper seal and a maximum shelf life.
In this regard, selection of the right packaging material for pickles assumes great importance.
Below are the seven critical reasons why pickles should be packed in glass jars:
1. Pickle in Glass Jar Get Extended Shelf Life:
While packing spices, it must be ensured that the container is airtight and does not allow any contact between the spices and the moisture and air.
Spices are hygroscopic, so they can interact with the moisture in the air. Air brings moisture, which can cause some powdered spices to cake. Air can also result in spices losing their flavor due to the loss of volatile oils by evaporation.
When exposed to humidity, the mould develops which not only spoils the spices but also produces mycotoxins that are genotoxic, carcinogenic or lead to food-borne illnesses.
Since glass jars come with metal tight caps and gas barrier properties, the spices remain safe from the above-mentioned threats which help in extension of their shelf life.
2.Glass Preserves the Originally Intended Aroma of the Pickle:
It should not alter, change or react with the ingredients of pickles that cause a change in the taste or flavor of the pickle. Glass meets this requirement as it is made from inert and natural materials which helps the companies provide the intended taste and flavor of the pickle or jam or honey to the consumers.
3. Pickle in Glass Jar receives Protection against Oxygen and Moisture:
Oxygen gives the harmful microorganisms one leg up. That’s because oxygen encourages the spread of spoilage microbes. Any exposed pickle becomes a breeding ground for the harmful microbes if the packaging is allowing the oxygen to enter. Although the oils and other ingredients slow this process but still prolonged interaction with oxygen can be dangerous. Similarly, exposed to moisture, pickles can turn rancid and bitter in taste. Oil is not water-soluble; hence, water can destroy the surface of the pickle by not dissolving in the oil content. It may cause fungus to develop on the layer of the pickle, spoiling most of the product.
Pickle in glass jars are protected from the moisture and oxygen in the environment because of the airtight metal caps and gas barrier property of glass itself. Therefore packing pickles in glass jars can surely prolong its life.
4. Glass is Unreactive to the Acids and Oils Present in the Pickles:
The packaging material used for pickles should be unreactive to the tartaric acid present. For example, if we pack pickles in metal containers, a chemical reaction between metal and acid would cause the formation of different kinds of salts and hydrogen that will make the pickle content toxic and would release a terrible odor.
Since glass bottles are made of synthetic and natural material, it makes them unreactive to most of the acids and protects the pickle in glass jars from chemical contamination.
5. Glass makes the Product Look Attractive and Premium:
A company can make a good quality pickle, but if it is packed cheaply or in an unattractive way, it can inevitably cause some potential customers to not buy it. It is human nature that everyone wants their product to look attractive. Therefore glass jars win at this point as well. They are attractive, allow product visibility, and appear premium in the eyes of customers. Thus, pickle in glass jars definitely score high.
6. Glass Provides a Comfortable Experience with the Product:
For example, when a pickle packed in the plastic jar is used over time, it loses its shape and design as it bends inward on different sides or shifts its shape to an inconvenient form. This can cause problems when your customers are trying to take out the last bits of the product. Glass always stays in the same shape regardless of how much a consumer tries to bend it or twist it.
7. Glass is the Only Material Recognised as GRAS:
Glass is the only food packaging granted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) status. It is regarded the trusted and proven packaging for health, taste, and the environment. Therefore glass jars are considered best for packing products such as pickles widely all over the world.
