Plastic Food Bags 101
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Plastic Food Bags 101
Choosing the right plastic food bag can be daunting given the number of choices. However, armed with some basic information, you'll be able to choose the right bag for your needs! Get the scoop on restaurant equipment with buying guides from the WEBstaurant Store!
Materials
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
HDPE bags feature excellent temperature resistance, water, and vapor barrier properties. This material is often used for retail and take out situations, such as deli bags, t-shirt bags, and take out bags. LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene)
These types of plastic bags are commonly used for food bags or utility bags. Because low density polyethylene is breathable, products stored without refrigeration or freezing will not last as long, compared to a Polypropylene bag. Additionally, because of their low melting point, LDPE bags are popular for use with heat sealing. LLDPE (Linear Low Density Polyethylene)
A major advantage of LLDPE food bags, compared to LDPE, is that a thinner gauge has the same strength. For example, a 0.85 mil thick LLDPE bag has the same strength as a 1.5 mil LDPE bag, allowing the user to "down-gauge" and save money! PP (Polypropylene)
Polypropylene bags combine excellent chemical resistance and strength. Unlike LDPE or LLDPE bags, polypropylene bags are not breathable, resulting in longer product shelf life for retail situations. Additionally, polypropylene bags are clearer than LDPE or LLDPE bags for enhanced product visibility. Gussets
Gussets are indented folds on the sides or bottom of a plastic bag that allow it to expand (up to the limits of the fold) in order to better accommodate different products.
Side Gusset Bags
Side gusset bags have gussets on both sides, which allows for great flexibility in accommodating a variety of contents.
Bottom Gusset Bags
Bottom gusset bags as the name implies, have a single gusset at the bottom of the bag. This style is most often used for loaves of bread.
Side Gusset Bags
Side gusset bags have gussets on both sides, which allows for great flexibility in accommodating a variety of contents.
Bottom Gusset Bags
Bottom gusset bags as the name implies, have a single gusset at the bottom of the bag. This style is most often used for loaves of bread.
Gauge
Gauge is the term used to describe the thickness of a plastic sheet, or in this case, bag. It's usually measured in mil's or microns. Generally, a higher gauge food bag should be used if the contents are particularly sharp or heavy. The higher the gauge , mil or micron the thicker the bag is.
1 mil = 0.001"
25.4 microns = 1 mil
1 mil = 0.001"
25.4 microns = 1 mil
Seal and Closure Styles
There are several common seal styles available for food service bags.
- Flip Top or Tuck Top
- Flip Top or Tuck Top bags may also be referred to as "Flip and Lip". This style is common in deli saddle bags and sandwich bags. To close the bag, the extra "flip" material can be tucked and rolled into the "lip".
- Seal Top
- Seal Top , also referred to as "Zip Lock" or "Recloseable" bags close securely to seal in freshness better than flip top bags, or bags that must be closed with a twist tie. Seal tops are commonly available in sandwich, deli, and storage bag styles.
- Slide Seal
- Slide Seal bags are similar to Seal top except they feature a small plastic "zipper" to close the seal, resulting in a more secure closure. Slide seal bag styles commonly include sandwich, deli, and storage bags.
Common Bag Styles
This section discusses the main types of plastic bags we carry along with some purchasing considerations.
- Deli Saddle Bags
- Deli Saddle Bags are available plain or printed, with your choice of closure style. They're usually HDPE and can be used with a saddle bag stand for easy dispensing. Deli saddle bags are mainly designed for the sale of sliced deli meats, cheeses, vegetables, but are also great for cookies, sandwiches, rolls, or other similar items.
- Recloseable Food Bags
- Recloseable Food Bags, whether in seal top (Zip Lock) or slide seal configuration, are most often used for food storage or portioning where the bag will be opened repeatedly. Recloseable food bags keep products fresh longer, and are most often used to portion or store vegetables, cereals, dry ingredients, crackers, cookies, lunch meats, sandwiches, and other similar items.
* Write-On Blocks, available on some recloseable bags, allow employees to clearly label the contents for easy organization and identification.
* Hang Holes through the tops of some recloseable bags (above the seal) allow the bags to be hung on racks in retail merchandising situations.
* Dispenser Boxes feature a perforated cutout opening for neater, easier dispensing of your recloseable food bags. - Plastic Bread Bags
- Plastic Bread Bags are similar to regular plastic food bags in terms of gusset styles. However, they're usually specifically sized for common types of bread, such as French bread or 1 lb. loaves.
* Micro Perforations available on several of the bread bags we carry allow excess moisture to escape while letting a small amount of air in to keep crusty breads crusty! - T-Shirt Bags
- T-Shirt Bags are versatile and widely used in a variety of retail situations from grocery stores to convenience stores, take out restaurants and even markets. Made of HDPE, the most common t-shirt bag sizes are 1/6 (22" x 7" x 12), and 1/8 (18" x 5" x 10").
- Bags on Rolls
- Bags on Rolls are available for several food service applications. For example, produce bags on rolls dispense easily and take up minimal shelf space. Additionally, several of our sandwich bags and other food bags come on rolls for easy dispensing when used in high volume pre-packaging applications.
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