METHOD FOR OPERATING A PACKAGING MACHINE FOR FOOD PRODUCTS, AND PACKAGING MACHINE

The invention relates to a method for operating a packaging machine for food products for producing packaging at least from a lower material web and an upper material web, which enclose at least one product area in each package, in which the lower material web passes through a forming station of the packaging machine in which product area recesses are formed in the lower material web either by forming without the action of heat or by thermoforming, and after food products have been placed in the recesses the material webs are joined together to seal the product areas, wherein the lower material web comprises at least one material layer consisting of fibrous material and/or vegetable raw material or comprising fibrous material and/or vegetable raw material, and wherein prior to forming without the action of heat or prior to thermoforming the lower material web undergoes a pre-treatment in which the moisture content of the material layer is changed, in particular increased.