Key Takeaways
Food is shrink wrapped safely by using certified food-grade polyolefin (POF) film wherever the film touches the product, setting the tunnel temperature for the product so the film shrinks without warming the food, and running the machine to a regular hygiene routine. PVC film should not be used for direct food contact. Individual items such as bread, meal trays and snack packs run on an L-bar sealer with a shrink tunnel, while bottles, dairy and food multipacks suit a sleeve sealer. In South Africa the finished pack must also meet the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act and the R146 labelling regulations. Compare the machines on the shrink wrap machines page.
Four machines wrap food: L-bar sealer, side bar sealer, sleeve sealer and standalone shrink tunnel. Compare them and see them running.
Shrink wrap is safe for food when the film is certified food-grade polyolefin, usually shortened to POF, wherever it touches the product. Where the film only covers a tray or carton, the food never meets it, but where it wraps the food directly, certified food-grade polyolefin is what makes the pack compliant. PVC shrink film should be avoided for direct food contact. A sealed film keeps dust, moisture and contaminants away from the product, shows straight away if a pack has been opened, and holds its shape through storage and handling. It is a protective barrier rather than a preservation method, so products that need an extended shelf life still rely on the tray, the atmosphere inside the pack or the cold chain.
The food product and the pack format decide the machine. An L-bar sealer with a shrink tunnel suits individual items such as bread and baked goods, meal trays and snack packs, and is the usual entry point for small and medium production lines. A sleeve sealer and shrink tunnel is built for bundling, so it suits bottled drinks, dairy and food multipacks on larger lines where speed matters. Fully automatic lines integrate feeding, sealing and shrinking with conveyors for continuous output. Chilled products such as meat and poultry need a lower tunnel setting so the film shrinks without warming the product. See the L-bar sealer and shrink wrap machine and the sleeve sealer and shrink tunnel.
Shrink-wrapped food in South Africa falls under the same food safety and labelling law as any other packed food. The Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act (Act 54 of 1972) requires packaging materials to be safe and not to contaminate the food, which is why shrink film must be non-toxic and approved for food use. The labelling regulations under that Act (R146) require clear, accurate labels on the finished pack, including the ingredient list, allergen information, best before or expiry dates and storage instructions, so the label has to stay legible once the film is on. The Consumer Protection Act (Act 68 of 2008) requires that packaging does not mislead or pose a health risk. Some products and packaging must also meet SANS standards administered by the SABS, and food businesses can expect hygiene inspections, where clean packaging areas and traceable packs count in your favour.
A shrink wrap line stays hygienic and safe through correct temperature settings, regular cleaning and trained operators. Set the sealing bar and tunnel temperatures for the film and the product, so the film seals and shrinks cleanly without scorching, fuming or warming the food. Clean and sanitise the machine and the packaging area on a fixed routine, and service the sealing wires, rollers and tunnel so seals stay consistent; the shrink wrap machine maintenance guide sets out the checks. Match the film thickness to the product. Train operators on the machine, on gloves and eye protection around hot surfaces and on the emergency stop, and keep the packaging area ventilated with fire equipment close by.
Shrink wrapping food safely comes down to certified food-grade polyolefin film, a machine matched to the product and pack format, a temperature set for the food, and a finished pack that meets the South African labelling rules. Send us the product, the pack format, whether you run single items or multipacks, and the volume you need per hour, and we will specify the machine to suit. Compare all four machines on the shrink wrap machines page, or go straight to the L-bar sealer and shrink wrap machine, the one most often supplied for bread, trays and single food packs.
Not where it touches the food. PVC shrink film should be avoided for direct food contact, so where the film wraps the product itself, use certified food-grade polyolefin. Where the film only covers an outer carton or a lidded tray, the food does not meet it, but polyolefin is still the usual choice for food lines.
It protects the pack rather than preserving the food. Shrink film keeps dust, moisture and contaminants out and stops handling damage, which helps a product reach the end of its shelf life in good condition. It is not an oxygen barrier in the way vacuum packing or a modified-atmosphere tray is, so products that need a longer life still depend on those methods and the cold chain.
Either works, as long as the finished pack meets the R146 labelling regulations. With clear polyolefin film the label is usually applied to the product or tray first and read through the film; what matters is that the ingredients, allergens, dates and storage instructions stay fully legible once the film is shrunk on.
Send us the product, the pack format and the volume you need per hour, and we will specify the shrink wrap machine that suits it, with installation by our own technicians, a one-year warranty, CE marked machines and spares held in Johannesburg. You can also send a sample and we will trial-wrap it at our Johannesburg showroom before you buy.
