7 Reasons Why you Should Pack your Jam in Glass Jars

Deciding on the right packaging material is a big deal for jam/jelly manufacturers. A commonly asked question of a jam/jelly/preserve manufacturer is why they should pack their products in glass jars and not any other packaging material.

Here are the seven reasons that explain to the jam/jelly/ preserve manufacturers that why glass is the best packaging material over any other material:

1. Glass is Inert and Unreactive: Jams and jelly have a unique ingredient composition, which requires packaging material that is inert and unreactive. In a jam packaging, the right mixture of acid, sugar, and pectin is required to achieve the needed gel structure. Also, the rapid boiling is required to remove water quickly, to concentrate the mixture before it darkens and loses its ability as a gel. The acidic part can react with packaging materials such as plastic and metal, which can alter the flavor, taste, and quality of the product apart from affecting the health of consumers negatively. This problem can be corrected by just using a glass jar for packaging jam/jelly.

2. Glass Allows for Heat Transmission: The proper heat transmissions are necessary to assure the proper taste and flavor of the packed jam. If we take two bottles - one glass and one plastic - of the same thickness, the glass will allow 5-10 times faster transfer of heat than the plastic. This is because glass is made up of natural materials such as sand and limestone, which allow very fast dissipation of heat.

3. Glass is Heat Resistant: Since glass jars have the quality of being extremely heat resistant, the jam product packed in it stays the way as it was supposed to be even at very high temperatures like 400 celsius. The glass jars can also withstand sudden temperature variation as it transfers heat in a suitable manner for the product. Hence, producers who sell their jam products in regions where temperatures reach exceptionally high levels, the glass is only material that can enhance the shelf life of their products.

4. Glass has a Premium and an Attractive Look: No packaging material can beat glass in terms of these criteria. It is always in the consumer subconscious mind, to purchase those products which look attractive and premium, and hence, using glass jars can surely increase the chances of sales of jam/jelly and help increase the bottom line. A consumer can take the last spoon of jam out of the jar without altering its shape and beauty.

5. Glass Helps Create Brand Recall Value: Generally, after the jam/jelly is finished, the glass jars are used to store things such as pickles, spices, oils, staples, etc which offer additional utility plus constantly reminds the consumer of the jam he or she purchased earlier. Hence using glass jars may make consumers buy your product regularly and can surely enhance customer loyalty.

6. Increases Shelf Life: Any contact of the jam/jelly with air or moisture can lead to the breeding of harmful microorganisms, which can spoil the product before the expiry date. The glass jars come with airtight metal caps along with gas barrier property, which does not allow any interaction between the jam/jelly and air or moisture. Thus, it allows the product to live longer and reduces costs associated with early expiries due to contamination and spoilage by harmful microorganisms.

7. Glass Granted FDA Status: Glass is the only widely-used food packaging granted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) status. It is also considered the trusted and proven packaging for health, taste, and the environment. Therefore glass jars are considered best for packing products such as jams and jellies widely all over the world.