Review of Sustainable
Packaging
Submitted by,
SWATHY K S
Roll no:6
Review of Sustainable Packaging
[Link]
Food packaging comprises items, such as containers, cups, tableware, straws, bags,
wraps, and boxes, that protect or contain food. Within a growing urbanized
population food packaging is needed for the transport, storage, and consumption of
food products. By 2050 the world’s population is estimated to reach 9.7 billion, two-
thirds of which will be living in urban areas with the consequent increase in food
requirements and changes in food-consumption patterns [1,2]. People living in cities
tend to lead more hectic lifestyles, spending little time buying or preparing food,
preferring processed food to fresh foods, and purchasing mainly in supermarkets or
convenience stores to save time. Such patterns are clearly evidenced nowadays in
high-income countries, though small shops and traditional grocery stores are going
out of business and being replaced by supermarkets even in developing countries,
thus leading to lager supply chains strictly dependent on packaged food [2,3].
Most food packaging is directly disposed of after use (95%) and more than a third
do not enter the recollection systems [10]. In May 2018, the European Commission
approved a directive by which single-use plastics were prohibited or at least
restricted, intending to reduce plastic waste pollution of seas and oceans [11]. The
set of approved standards comprises requirements for product labeling, waste
collection, and public awareness regarding the environmental problem and
responsible consumption. Since then, a slight reduction in fossil-based plastic and a
mild increase in biobased plastic and post-consumer recycled plastic production has
been reported in Europe, though the overall global plastic production has continued
to grow (reaching 390.7 million tons in 2021) [12]. Aiming to develop more
sustainable food packaging, some significant efforts have been focused on biobased
and/or biodegradable materials, especially bioplastics, paper, and cardboard.
Alternative cellulose sources to wood have been studied aiming at tree and
biodiversity conservation in forests and rainforest ecosystems [13,3]. Plant-based
bioplastics, both biodegradable (such as poly-lactic acid (PLA),
polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), or biopolymer-based plastics) and non-degradable
(biobased polyolefins: e.g., bio-PE, bio-PP, and bio-PET), are currently being
commercialized and agri-food industry by-products and waste are being studied as
raw materials to minimize agriculture environmental impact and land-use [15,7,4].
However, enhanced recyclability capacity, retrieval quantity, and good separation
through waste management systems are crucial for non-biodegradable bioplastics to
be effectively recycled through conventional recycling infrastructure and technology
[5]. Compostable bioplastics may be preferred to non-degradable plastics for single-
use applications, such as food packaging and foodservice ware, when reutilization
or reduction is not possible and recyclability is limited [6,7]. Nonetheless, even for
this type of material, adequate waste stream management and industrial composting
facilities are needed, since compostability will only occur under specific conditions
[7,9]. Several studies have been conducted on the environmental impact of biobased
materials over fossil conventional plastic packaging [8], yet no general result has
been reported on which is the more sustainable alternative. The overall
environmental impact of the package depends on the packed food product,
distribution logistic and distances, clean energy resources, available waste
management systems, re-use frequency, recyclability and/or biodegradability, end-
of-life scenario selected for the packaging material, and overall cost of production,
use, and disposal
2. SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING DESIGN
Considering that over 80% of the environmental impact of a product is determined
at the design stage, design plays a key role in its sustainability [3]. In food packaging,
an efficient design can increase the sustainability of the packaging and the food
product it contains by minimizing both food and packaging waste at their end-of-
life. However, ensuring food preservation accounts for a larger portion of the overall
life-cycle environmental impact of the packed food product. On average, the
packaging is estimated to comprise only 10% of the energy input required for a
single person’s weekly food consumption and can ensure that the residual 90% is not
wasted throughout the supply chain [6]. The relative environmental impact that
packaging has on a food product depends on the food type, mainly on its
perishability, cost, and overall emissions and resources depletion in production. For
example, greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emission from dairy products and meats is
greater than those from fruits and vegetables by 13–18%, largely exceeding GHGs
in packaging manufacturing and end-of-life [5]. Therefore, focus on minimizing
food waste for animal food products would yield greater benefits to the system, while
emphasis should be placed on reducing the impact of the packaging of fruit and
vegetables [6]. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of both the food product and the
preferred packaging system should be evaluated in each case for better decision-
making, considering real available waste management systems and possible
optimized alternatives. Consequently, apart from the protection of the product,
designing the most effective and sustainable packaging is a complex process
involving numerous sectors implicated in the whole supply chain, including the
intended market
3. STRATERGIES TO IMPROVE BARRIER and HYDROPHOBICITY
PROPERTIES FOR FOOD PACKAGING
With the main premise of preserving the food matrix quality, packaging industries
and the scientific sector are striving to develop new materials to minimize
deteriorative changes mainly due to physical and chemical modifications
experienced by foods during their distribution and storage [13]. Food packaging is
considered an integral part of the preservation system and, therefore, the package
provides a barrier between the food matrix and the external environment, protecting
it against physical, chemical, and biological damage [14]. To control the chemical
and physical reactions in the matrix, packaging material must be able to act as a
barrier to external factors that affect the food quality, such as the gaseous
atmosphere, water activity, light, and temperature. In this sense, the barrier
properties of a material are related to the protection of the food matrix inside the
package by controlling mass transfer [11]. The controlled transference of diverse
compounds, such as gasses, water vapor, and volatile molecules, is relevant to
minimize the reactions that cause food degradation by creating a favorable
atmosphere around the packed product [6]. Food stability is characterized by its
chemically unstable nature and hence requires to be protected from spoilage, lipid
deterioration, and microbial contamination. Therefore, polymeric materials must
prevent the penetration of compounds from the surrounding environment to
guarantee a “high barrier” [7]. A schematic representation of how packaging protects
food from external agents, such as gaseous compounds, water vapor, UV radiation,
and microorganisms, is shown in
3.1. Enhanced Gas and Water Vapor Barrier Properties
The permeation of low molecular weight gasses/vapors through films is measured
by the ability of the polymer matrix to absorb and diffuse the penetrant. The main
mechanisms that affect mass-transfer of substances across packaging materials are
diffusivity, solubility, and permeability, which are closely related to the composition
and structure of the polymer matrix [13]. Factors, such as the shape and size of the
permeant, morphology, crystallinity, and chain orientation of the polymer, influence
the diffusion and solubility coefficient. Other variables that modify the matter
transfer coefficient are related to the processing methods, which can alter polymeric
chain configuration or induce crystallization/orientation, including polymer
blending, multi-layer coextrusion, casting, or applied nanotechnology
3.2. Enhanced Hydrophobicity
Many biodegradable and renewable biopolymers are hydrophilic since they are
conformed by polar molecules. This inherent hydrophilicity often results in moisture
absorption that leads to the deterioration of the mechanical properties of the material
and affects its dimensional stability, both undesirable effects for packaging
applications [14]. To reduce the hydrophilicity of biodegradable and natural
polymers, several methodologies can be carried out. One of these alternatives is to
modify the chemical structure of the biopolymers to improve their hydrophobicity.
According to this, Wang et al. stressed that chemical modifications of starch may be
carried out to achieve adequate physicochemical characteristics by blocking or
adding functional groups, improving the hydrophobicity of starch-based materials
[2]. For instance, Petronilho et al. have worked on hydrophobic starch-based films
by transesterification with sunflower oil in alkaline medium, showing Foods 2023,
12, 1057 12 of 43 increased water resistance (lower solubility and water vapor
transmission, and higher contact angles) [7]. In the case of cellulose, for instance,
chemical modification by silylation, esterification, amidation, and grafting are some
of the reactions that can be used to obtain more hydrophobic cellulose
3.3. Enhanced UV-Light Barrier Characteristics
A strategy to enhance UV-light barrier properties includes the assembly of light
stabilizers into the film matrix to deactivate the reactive degradation elements,
preventing their occurrence by consuming the products responsible for initiating the
deterioration reactions and hindering free radicals spread. Aluminum foil represents
the best material for UVvisible light blocking, but it poses some disadvantages
related to its recyclability, high cost, and non-transparency. In this sense, the smart
selection and application of UV absorbers to functionalize materials for specific
functions constitute a promising strategy
4. ACTIVE and INTELLIGENT FOOD PACKGING
The increasing demand for fresh, healthy, and long-shelf-life foods require
innovations in packaging design. In this sense, new, intelligent, and smart packaging
able to sense and communicate information from the packaged food product has
been developed. Before moving forward, it is necessary to clarify three terms that
are sometimes used interchangeably: active, intelligent, and smart packaging
5. BIOBASED PACKAGING
One of the applications with the greatest impact on the growing demand for
bioplastics is for containers and packaging, particularly biodegradable materials in
food packaging. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many multinationals, such as
Danone, Coca-Cola, and Nestle, had committed to adopting bioplastics in their
packaging [3]. In this sense, there are numerous investigations and developments of
biodegradable and biobased materials due to their potential lower environmental
impact. Numerous works have been reported and an extensive literature revision has
been conducted by various researchers in the field of material sciences and the
packaging industry [4]. A comparison of different biomass sources for bioplastics
and biopolymers along with various processing technologies discussion can be found
among available literature [5]. The latest works focus on new biomass sources to
reduce bioplastics cost and climate impact due to extensive land use [8]. In view of
more sustainable packaging systems, fully biobased packages are sought,
considering all parts. Therefore, herein, a thorough overview of biobased adhesives,
inks, and dyes for food packaging is presented.
6. CONCLUSIONS
Changes in lifestyle have directly influenced the type of food consumed, as well as
consumption habits, which in turn has generated the need for the food industry to
develop new containers and packaging. Today, practically any food product is
marketed packaged, not only to contain the food, but also to protect it throughout the
entire production chain, until it reaches the point of sale or consumption. Hence, the
way we produce and consume food has substantial environmental, social, and
economic impacts, requiring sustainable solutions for proper and efficient land use,
better food preservation technologies during processing and packaging, and novel
transport, distribution, and marketing systems to guarantee that these costs are well
exceeded by benefits.
A gap exists between product/packaging system design, materials supply,
manufacturing and commercialization, and the return flow from recyclable materials
that enter the waste management stream, which hinders circularity. To close the
cycle, a holistic understanding of the supply chain components, their opportunities,
and limitations is required for transitioning sustainable production systems towards
a circular economy
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