In the past two years, soft pet treats have gained popularity rapidly: meat paste strips, wet food strips, high moisture meat chunks, and squeezable sauce packs. For factories, the challenge with these products lies in the fact that many packaging issues are not apparent during the sample stage and only become evident during mass production or after entering the market. The reason is simple: these products have high moisture content, and the water is in an active state, continuing to migrate and react within the package.
So when discussingPet Soft Treat PackagingBefore understanding the material structure, it is recommended to clarify the following questions first. Asking the right questions will save a lot of effort in selection and sample making later on.
What are the moisture content and water activity?
Water content and water activity are not the same. Two batches of products with the same moisture level can differ greatly in how tightly the water is bound. Products with high water activity pose higher risks of microbial growth, mold development, and texture changes, which also affect the role and responsibilities of packaging.
The factory needs to obtain more than just the three words “high moisture” from the brand. It should obtain the target water activity range and production variation, the formulation methods used to control moisture (such as humectants, acidification, and moisture barrier), and the acceptable texture standards at the end of the shelf life. Without any of these three pieces of information, material discussions can only remain based on guesswork.
Second question: Where does the moisture go?
Soft snack packaging issues are often not caused by moisture entering from the outside, but rather by moisture inside the bag moving around on its own.
- Moisture on the product surface evaporates into the headspace, condenses on the cooler film surface, forming localized water stains and sticky areas.
- Products containing desiccants or oxygen absorbers that are improperly dosed may draw moisture from the product itself, causing snacks to become hard.
- When a bag contains both soft treats and dry ingredients (such as a mix pack), moisture migrates from the wet side to the dry side, causing both sides to spoil.
Each path requires a different approach: headspace control, barrier layer selection, product partitioning, and absorbent dosage are all variables that need to be considered together in structural design. First, clarify the path, then discuss whether to use aluminum foil or not. The order is important.
Third question: Is the seal to be opened for feeding or resealed?
The sealing design for soft snacks is determined by their usage scenarios. For strip-shaped products, which are usually fed immediately after opening, the seal should be easy to tear but not tear apart. The location of the tear line, the shape of the easy-tear opening, and the compatibility between the heat-seal layer and the easy-tear layer must be tested based on actual film rolls. For multi-pack and large bag formats, the resealable structure should be considered, as the space occupied by the resealable strip represents actual capacity loss in smaller bag sizes.
Another often overlooked variable is the material sticking. Soft products have a certain level of adhesion, and during filling, they can rub against the sealing area, leading to fine channels in mass production sealing. If only a manual sample is considered during sample making, this issue will be completely hidden.
Fourth question: Are there any heating or freezing steps in the distribution conditions?
Some soft snacks involve low-temperature distribution, and certain product categories undergo heat treatment during production. Whether the packaging structure is suitable depends on specific process conditions and cannot be generalized. At this stage, the factory needs to confirm: the temperature range throughout distribution, whether there is a freeze-thaw cycle, and whether the packaging needs to withstand specific sterilization processes. When temperature-resistant structures are involved, include the process parameters in the sample-making requirements so that the material solutions can be verified under those conditions. The division of structural layers can be referenced as follows:Cross-sectional Diagram of Composite Bag Layer Structure。
The heat sealing parameters themselves are also variables: the temperature windows differ significantly for different heat sealing layer materials.Key Points for Setting Sealing TemperatureThis article can serve as a foundation for communication in the workshop.
Question 5: What equipment is used for sample making, and what standards are used for acceptance?
The sealing and barrier performance of soft snacks are sensitive to process parameters, and results from sample runs and mass production machines often do not match. The sample run agreement should clearly state: run on a machine at near production speed, record temperature/time/pressure, and inspect the sealing of mass-produced products rather than hand samples. It is recommended to agree in advance on the acceptance method for sealing strength. Common internationally accepted methods for heat seal strength testing can be referenced. ASTM F88/F88M As a communication benchmark.
The acceptance criteria should be agreed upon before sample making, and the test results will then be binding. It is recommended to include: sealing strength range, leakage inspection method, appearance and texture inspection points after simulating circulation, and storage test milestones verified by the brand party for shelf life.
Turn the issue list into procurement actions
- Obtain moisture content, water activity, texture standards, and process conditions from the brand owner.
- Draw temperature and humidity changes along the distribution path.
- Based on this, screen two or three structural candidate directions, requiring the factory to specify the test conditions.
- Mass production machine trial run, recording parameters and material clamping conditions;
- Testing and acceptance according to pre-agreed standards.
The logic for choosing bags for similar purposes in dry food packaging varies greatly.Main Feed Bag SelectionThat article covers specifications, stacking, and opening experience; harder, high-water-content products—such as dental chews and meat jerky—have another main line of anti-puncture resistance, which can be seen in the packaging analysis of dental chews and meat jerky. For roll film purchased products that go through an automatic filling line, the packaging roll film article explains how bag-making parameters can be pre-set in the roll material process.
From a compliance perspective, export markets may refer to FEDIAF The industry self-regulation framework; standard texts for domestic products can be found atNational Standards Full Text Public SystemCheck the current version; the packaging claims should be consistent with the actual product.
FAQ
Is a thicker bag more secure for packaging pet soft treats?
No. The core risks of soft snacks are internal moisture migration and sealing channels. Thickness cannot solve these two issues and instead increases costs. First confirm the water activity and moisture pathways, then select structure and functional layers based on the pathways.
Why is there no problem with the sample but leakage occurs during mass production?
The most common cause is material sticking and machine differences: soft products become sticky, and during mass production, they get dragged into the sealing area at lower speeds; manual samples mask this issue. Sample production should be done on machines operating at near mass production speeds to check the sealing performance during actual production.
Should desiccant be used and in what quantity?
Calculate first, then place. An excessive dose may draw moisture from the product itself, causing it to harden, while an insufficient dose may fail to achieve the desired effect. The dosage should be confirmed through product testing to ensure it matches the water activity target, rather than treating desiccants as a universal safeguard.
Illustration Note: The accompanying illustration is a conceptual packaging application diagram and not a customer case, actual photo, or test result.