Question:
____________ of the following plastic food packaging material has low WVTR.
____________ of the following plastic food packaging material has low WVTR.
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Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), commercially known as Saran, is famous in food packaging for having excellent barrier properties against both water vapor (low WVTR) and oxygen.
Updated On: Jul 22, 2026
- Cellophane
- Polycarbamate
- Polyvinylidene chloride
- Nylon
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) is a measure of the rate at which water vapor passes through a packaging film under specified temperature and humidity conditions.
A lower WVTR indicates superior moisture barrier properties, which are essential for protecting moisture-sensitive food products from staling or moisture loss.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us compare the moisture barrier properties of the listed polymer materials:
- Cellophane (A): Regenerated cellulose that is highly hydrophilic, meaning it absorbs moisture and has a very high WVTR unless coated with nitrocellulose or PVDC.
- Polycarbamate (B): Not a standard high-barrier food packaging polymer.
- Nylon (Polyamide) (D): A polar polymer containing amide groups. It has excellent oxygen barrier properties but is hydrophilic, giving it a relatively high WVTR.
- Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC) (C): A highly crystalline polymer with a symmetrical, tightly packed molecular structure containing chlorine atoms.
This dense molecular packing makes PVDC exceptionally hydrophobic and impermeable to both gases and water vapor.
It has one of the lowest WVTRs among commercial packaging films, along with excellent oxygen barrier properties.
Because of this, PVDC is widely used as a high-barrier coating (e.g., on cellophane, oriented polypropylene, or polyester) or co-extruded into multilayer films to extend the shelf life of sensitive foods like meats, cheeses, and snack foods.
Therefore, PVDC has the lowest WVTR among the listed options.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Among the options, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) is the plastic packaging material with a very low WVTR.
The Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) is a measure of the rate at which water vapor passes through a packaging film under specified temperature and humidity conditions.
A lower WVTR indicates superior moisture barrier properties, which are essential for protecting moisture-sensitive food products from staling or moisture loss.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us compare the moisture barrier properties of the listed polymer materials:
- Cellophane (A): Regenerated cellulose that is highly hydrophilic, meaning it absorbs moisture and has a very high WVTR unless coated with nitrocellulose or PVDC.
- Polycarbamate (B): Not a standard high-barrier food packaging polymer.
- Nylon (Polyamide) (D): A polar polymer containing amide groups. It has excellent oxygen barrier properties but is hydrophilic, giving it a relatively high WVTR.
- Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC) (C): A highly crystalline polymer with a symmetrical, tightly packed molecular structure containing chlorine atoms.
This dense molecular packing makes PVDC exceptionally hydrophobic and impermeable to both gases and water vapor.
It has one of the lowest WVTRs among commercial packaging films, along with excellent oxygen barrier properties.
Because of this, PVDC is widely used as a high-barrier coating (e.g., on cellophane, oriented polypropylene, or polyester) or co-extruded into multilayer films to extend the shelf life of sensitive foods like meats, cheeses, and snack foods.
Therefore, PVDC has the lowest WVTR among the listed options.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Among the options, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) is the plastic packaging material with a very low WVTR.
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