Engineering the Perfect Seal: What Food Properties Tell Us About Heat, Pressure & Time

Creating a strong, reliable seal isn’t just about running a machine—it’s about understanding the science of the food inside the package. At Teinnovations, we engineer sealing solutions by analyzing product characteristics and matching them with the right combination of seal temperature, dwell time, and pressure to ensure integrity, safety, and shelf stability.

The Science Behind a Good Seal

Sealing is a thermal bonding process that joins lidding film to a tray, pouch, or container. But achieving consistent, high-integrity seals depends on multiple factors—many of which start with the food itself:

• Fat content: High-fat products can interfere with seal surfaces
• Moisture levels: Excess water can cause steam pockets or weak bonds
• Fill temperature: Hot-fill products require different seal settings than cold-fill
• Product migration: Movement during sealing can contaminate the seal area

These variables must be considered when calibrating your sealing equipment to avoid seal failures, contamination, or compromised barrier protection.

Matching Seal Parameters to Product Needs

We fine-tune three key parameters for every packaging system:

• Seal Temperature: Must be high enough to bond, but not so high it warps or melts materials
• Dwell Time: The length of time the seal head contacts the package—affects bond strength and speed
• Seal Pressure: Controls the compression during sealing—critical for eliminating air pockets and achieving uniform contact

Each of these is tested in relation to the product’s behavior under sealing conditions, ensuring reliable results at production scale.

Why Seal Failures Happen

Improperly engineered sealing systems can result in:

• Leakers or weak seals
• Delamination or blistering
• Non-uniform seal strength across trays or pouches
• Material distortion or tearing upon opening

These failures can lead to product loss, safety risks, and consumer dissatisfaction. At Teinnovations, we address these risks at the source—by starting with the food and engineering a system to match.

Integration with Materials and Machinery

Our approach includes sourcing or recommending sealing machines and tooling that are optimized for your product and materials. This ensures that:

• Films and trays are heat-compatible
• Tooling fits the package geometry and fill level
• Automation settings align with fill speeds and dwell times

Need help getting your sealing performance dialed in?

Contact Teinnovations today to evaluate your food packaging system and get expert support on sealing parameters, equipment, and material compatibility—so your product stays sealed, safe, and shelf-ready.