Packaging - Testing, development, and consultancy

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Are you facing new requirements for your packaging - or do you want to ensure that it functions optimally throughout the entire value chain? Danish Technological Institute’s packaging specialists help you test, develop, and optimize packaging, so that you achieve documented quality, extended shelf life, and a stronger market position.

Packaging is far more than wrapping. It protects the product, extends shelf life, communicates your brand, and must comply with increasingly stringent sustainability and documentation requirements. Danish Technological Institute is an independent knowledge institution with specialists, a testing laboratory, and pilot production facilities covering the entire packaging lifecycle - from strategy and material selection to testing and prototyping, packaging, and storage testing. We help you make better decisions faster and with greater confidence.

Typical challenges we solve

Companies contact Danish Technological Institute when facing specific packaging-related challenges - for example:

Shelf life is too short: the product loses quality before reaching the consumer, and you need to understand whether this is due to barrier properties, the packaging environment, or storage conditions.
New sustainability requirements: you want to reduce plastic use, switch materials, or document your environmental profile, but are uncertain about the implications for product protection and shelf life.
Packaging does not meet requirements: there are issues with leaks, condensation, undesired gas exchange, or a lack of documentation for customers and regulatory authorities.
You want to launch new products or formats: but lack the capacity or flexibility on your existing packaging lines to test new concepts.
Requirements from customers or authorities: you need to document barrier properties, light resistance, whether the packaging tolerates transport, or compliance with specific standards.
Packaging needs to sell better: you want to optimize the packaging's functionality, opening mechanics, or visual appeal, and need prototypes and testing before investing in production.

How can Danish Technological Institute help you?

Danish Technological Institute offers a wide range of packaging services that can be tailored to your needs:

Barrier property testing: permeability to oxygen, water vapor, and other gases, allowing you to document and optimize the protective capacity of your packaging materials
Headspace analysis: measurement of gas composition in packaged products to ensure an optimal atmosphere and shelf life
Shelf-life and storage testing: systematic testing of how food products and other goods perform in the packaging over time under realistic or accelerated conditions
Climate and aging testing: simulation of temperature, humidity, and light exposure to predict packaging and material durability
Leak and seal integrity testing: vacuum chamber testing and other methods to identify leaks and ensure packaging integrity
Light transmission testing (UV/VIS): measurement of the packaging's ability to protect light-sensitive products
USP testing: moisture and light permeability testing for pharmaceutical packaging
Pilot production and prototyping: manufacturing packaging prototypes and test series so you can evaluate new concepts without disrupting existing production
Packaging strategy and consultancy: independent guidance on material selection, sustainability, regulation, and the right balance between protection, environmental considerations, and costs
Transport testing: testing whether the packaging sufficiently protects the product during transport and handling
Heating testing and simulation: documentation of how packaging and food products react during microwave and oven heating

From strategy to documented packaging

Packaging optimization is rarely about a single parameter. It is about finding the right balance between product protection, sustainability, costs, legal requirements, and market demands. Danish Technological Institute's packaging specialists help you see the big picture and prioritize the right solutions.

We outline opportunities and challenges for different scenarios so you can make decisions on a solid and informed basis. This may involve switching from multilayer plastic laminates to mono-materials, reducing material consumption without compromising shelf life, or documenting a new packaging's barrier properties for a retail customer.

The result is a concrete action plan leading you from your current solution to the desired one - with a clear overview of the consequences, risks, and benefits of each choice.

Pilot production: Test new concepts without stopping your production

One of the largest barriers to packaging innovation is that changes to an existing packaging line are expensive, time-consuming, and disruptive to ongoing production. Danish Technological Institute’s pilot facility provides a flexible and fast path from idea to a testable product.

The pilot facility is food-grade approved by the authorities - meaning you can manufacture test series for evaluation in retail and for shelf-life testing under realistic conditions.

Danish Technological Institute can assist you throughout the entire process:

Pilot-scale production of new packaging materials (paper, laminates, coatings)
Thermoforming and laser cutting of packaging formats
3D printing of plastic packaging for concept testing
Flexible printing and converting

Pilot production is cheaper, faster, and more flexible than adapting a specialized packaging line - providing a solid foundation for evaluating a new packaging concept before investing in full-scale production.

Environmentally friendly packaging: Balancing environment and functionality

Today, sustainability is a key driver in packaging development. However, shifting to more environmentally friendly materials and reducing material usage must be achieved without compromising product protection, shelf life, and food safety.

Danish Technological Institute helps you navigate this balance through:

Assessment of alternative materials and their impact on barrier properties and shelf life
Testing new material concepts, e.g., mono-materials, bio-based materials, or recyclable solutions
Documentation of environmental profiles and functional properties
Consultancy on how to reduce packaging-related food waste through improved product protection

Crucially, sustainable packaging is not just about the material - it is about the overall impact. Packaging that reduces food waste by just a few percent can have a significantly greater environmental benefit than the material shift itself.

Advanced testing equipment and development capacity

Danish Technological Institute's packaging laboratory is equipped with specialized equipment for both standardized and customized testing programs:

Oxygen and water vapor permeability measurement
Headspace measurement using gas chromatography
Light transmission (UV/VIS)
Vacuum chamber for pressure and leak testing
Environmental cabinets and chambers for accelerated aging testing
Torque measurement for packaging opening
Color measurement and lux measurement (including on-location)
Thermal imaging camera
Network analyzer
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and impulse sealing

Tests can be conducted as standardized tests or customized programs tailored to your specific products, materials, and distribution chain.

We are your development partner

Danish Technological Institute collaborates with companies on packaging development within areas such as:

Microwave heating and cooking of food
Packaging for transport of temperature-sensitive products
Barrier coating using plasma technology
3D design and FEM simulation of packaging structures
More environmentally friendly packaging

We support you from the initial idea to structuring project work packages, selecting relevant partners, and identifying alternative funding sources - for example, for development projects with public co-funding.

Cases

From polystyrene to grass fibre packaging – an innovative journey

Contact us

Do you have a specific packaging project you would like to discuss? Contact Danish Technological Institute's material and packaging specialist, Alexander Bardenstein, Ph.D., for an informal chat about how we can help you move forward — whether it involves testing, strategy, material selection, or pilot production.

FAQ

What is a packaging permeability test?

A permeability test measures how quickly gases such as oxygen or water vapor pass through a packaging material. Danish Technological Institute conducts permeability tests that document the material's barrier properties, enabling companies to select the right material to protect product quality and shelf life.

When is a headspace analysis relevant?

Headspace analysis is relevant when you want to verify the gas composition inside packaged food - for example, to ensure that a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) system is functioning correctly. Danish Technological Institute analyzes the gas composition in the packaging's headspace using gas chromatography and can document whether the protective atmosphere inside the packaging is maintained over time.

Can Danish Technological Institute produce packaging prototypes?

Yes. Danish Technological Institute has a pilot packaging facility capable of producing packaging prototypes and test series — including thermoforming, 3D printing, lamination, laser cutting, and packaging under hygienic conditions. The facility is food-grade approved, allowing test series to be used for shelf-life testing and retail trials.

How much does it cost to test packaging at Danish Technological Institute? /a>

The price depends on the test type, scope, and complexity. Danish Technological Institute offers both individual tests and combined testing packages tailored to your needs. Contact us to discuss your specific requirements.

How can packaging reduce food waste?

Packaging reduces food waste by protecting the food product from oxygen, moisture, light, and mechanical stress. Danish Technological Institute helps companies optimize the packaging's barrier properties and protective atmosphere to extend shelf life — thereby reducing waste throughout the entire value chain.

What is the difference between a standardized test and a customized test?

A standardized test follows an established method, such as an ISO or ASTM standard, producing results that can be directly compared with other materials. A customized test is designed specifically for your product, material, or distribution conditions, delivering results that reflect your actual real-world scenario.

Can Danish Technological Institute help transition to more environmentally friendly packaging?

Yes. Danish Technological Institute provides advice on material selection, tests alternative materials, and helps assess the consequences for shelf life, product protection, and environmental profile. The goal is to find the balance that delivers the greatest overall impact - for both the product and the environment.