Packaging that doesn't pollute does exist!

The primary function of food packaging is to protect, transport and store our perishable foodstuffs. An essential role, but one that is unfortunately increasingly neglected in favor of innovations in aesthetics, ease of use and even amusing "gadgets".
Valérie Guillard, University of Montpellier and Nathalie Gontard, INRA

Bad for health and the environment?

Endocrine disruptors are suspected of being introduced into food through packaging. These are small molecules present in plastic that interfere with the proper functioning of our bodies.
The latest example is the crisis linked to Bisphenol A or BPA, present in certain containers such as baby bottles. These substances, which are necessary for the shaping and resistance of our plastics, find their way unintentionally into our food after varying degrees of contact with the packaging. They have potentially toxic effects on humans after regular, long-term exposure.
European regulations protect consumers and require packaging manufacturers to respect "migration limits" for all authorized molecules. But regular discoveries in this field mean that regulations need to be constantly updated: for example, compounds and residues from packaging printing inks, which are not in direct contact with the product, have recently been found in foodstuffs.
Then there are the millions of tonnes of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean, covering an area 6 times the size of France. This "seventh continent" of plastic is slowly degrading, with long-term consequences for ecosystems that are still poorly understood.
Every year, we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic worldwide. An estimated 150 million tonnes of plastic waste are in the oceans today, mostly packaging (62%). Every year, this is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the sea every minute. If nothing changes, by 2050 there will be as much plastic in the oceans as there are fish! Plastic kills a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. The consequences for humans, however, are still poorly understood.

Yet today, packaging is undergoing advances that can make it an essential element in the sustainability of the food chain.

Active, connected packaging

The internal atmosphere of packaging can be deliberately modified to improve product preservation.
Oxygen absorbers are commonly used to reduce the oxidation reactions of vitamins or essential fatty acids, without the need for additives or treatments. They also retard microbial growth.
Numerous other active packaging products are now on the market, including moisture absorbers and ethylene absorbers for fruit preservation. Substantial research investments are being made in this field, particularly in anti-microbial packaging. The development of tools to aid the design of innovative, safe and effective packaging solutions is a major research focus.
Thanks to their active role in preserving food products, these packaging solutions can anticipate very positive spin-offs, linked to the reduction of food loss and waste. According to the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe), of the 29 kg of food thrown away by the French every year, 7 kg is still packaged.
Other issues concern so-called "intelligent" packaging, which informs the various players in the chain, including consumers, about product quality. In this way, they help to limit losses linked to sanitary safety margins applied to use-by dates, and to the misinterpretation of these dates. In this way, it is possible to detect the presence of pathogenic bacteria or provide information on the ripeness of a fruit without having to touch or smell it.
A new generation of smart labels has been developed in the laboratories of the University of Montpellier. It combines a plant sensor with an RFID ( radio frequency identification) tag, enabling real-time communication of a product's state of freshness. This RFID tag makes it possible to imagine a future where packaged food will be "connected". It will communicate with our smartphone or our connected fridge to let us know which foods need to be eaten first.

Reducing the ecological footprint

Throughout their life cycle, packaging materials consume resources and energy, which are often non-renewable. They generate atmospheric emissions and waste.
Currently, 90% of plastics in all sectors (not just packaging) are derived from fossil resources. 6% of the world's oil production is dedicated to plastics production, equivalent to the global consumption of the aeronautics industry. If the growth of plastics continues unabated, by 2050 the sector will account for 20% of the world's fossil fuel consumption, and 15% of our annual "carbon budget" (based on a global warming scenario limited to 2°C by 2050).
In order to reduce the ecological impact of our plastic food packaging, the substitution of petrochemical-based materials with materials derived from renewable, non-food resources is a welcome development in packaging research.
A research team (INRA and the University of Montpellier), in collaboration with a number of European partners, has just developed a food tray made from residues from the agricultural and agri-food industries.

Made from a polymer derived from the fermentation of liquid waste from the dairy industry, and lignocellulosic fibers derived from the crushing of wheat straw, this tray looks just like plastic, but in a totally biodegradable version.
However, these environmentally-friendly materials still have one hurdle to clear: replacing petrochemical plastics in the packaging market. With this in mind, a decision-support software - to guide users in their choice of sustainable packaging - has been developed, for example.
As we can see, a transition towards innovative approaches is underway. But it can only be effective if governments implement concerted incentives on a European scale. In France, however, very little is currently being done to promote biodegradable packaging: there is little or no specific collection and no eco-tax for these materials (whereas recycled materials benefit from an eco-emballages "bonus").
Valérie GuillardLecturer in process engineering applied to the life sciences, member of the IUF, University of Montpellier and Nathalie GontardResearch Director and Professor, INRA
Visit original version of this article was published on The Conversation.