Non-polluting packaging does exist!
The primary function of food packaging is to protect, transport, and store perishable foodstuffs. This is an essential role, but unfortunately one that is increasingly being neglected in favor of innovations in aesthetics, ease of use, and even fun "gadgets."
Valerie Guillard, University of Montpellier and Nathalie Gontard, INRA
However, the issue is much more serious than it appears, as packaging is accused of contaminating food and polluting the environment.
Bad for your 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 most recent example concerns the crisis linked to Bisphenol A or BPA, which is present in certain containers, such as baby bottles. These substances, which are necessary for the formation of our plastics and their resistance, are unintentionally found in our food after prolonged contact with packaging. They have potentially toxic effects on humans after regular and long-term exposure.
European regulations protect consumers and require packaging manufacturers to comply with "migration limits" for all authorized molecules. However, regular discoveries in this field require constant updating of the regulations: for example, compounds and residues from packaging printing inks, which are not in direct contact with the product, have recently been found in food.
There are also millions of tons of plastic floating between two waters in the Pacific Ocean on a surface area equivalent to six times the size of France. This "seventh continent" made up of plastic materials is slowly degrading, with long-term consequences for ecosystems that are still poorly understood.
Every year, we produce 300 million tons of plastic worldwide. It is estimated that there are currently 150 million tons of plastic waste in the oceans, mostly packaging (62%). This is equivalent to dumping the contents of a garbage truck into the ocean every minute for a year. If nothing changes, by 2050 there will be as much plastic as fish in the oceans in terms of mass! Plastic kills one million birds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. The consequences for humans are still poorly understood.
However, packaging is now undergoing advances that could make it an essential element in the sustainability of the food chain.
Active and connected packaging
The internal atmosphere of the packaging can be deliberately modified to improve product preservation.
Oxygen absorbers are commonly used to reduce oxidation reactions in vitamins and essential fatty acids without the use of additives or treatments. They also delay microbial growth.
Many other active packaging solutions are now available on the market, including moisture absorbers and ethylene absorbers for fruit preservation. Significant investment is being made in research in this area, particularly with regard to antimicrobial packaging. The development of tools to aid in the design of innovative, safe, and effective packaging solutions is therefore a major area of research.
Through their active role in food preservation, these packaging solutions are expected to have very positive impacts in terms of reducing food loss and waste. According to Ademe, of the 29 kg of food thrown away each year on average by French people, 7 kg is still packaged.
Other challenges concern so-called "smart" packaging that informs the various players in the chain, including consumers, about the quality of the product. They thus help to limit losses linked to the safety margins applied to use-by dates and the misinterpretation of these dates. It is then 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 just been developed in the laboratories of the University of Montpellier. It combines a plant sensor with an RFID ( radio frequency identification) label and allows the freshness of a product to be communicated in real time. This RFID label allows us to imagine a future where packaged food will be "connected." It will communicate with our smartphone or connected refrigerator to let us know which foods to consume first.
University of Montpellier, 2015
Reducing the environmental footprint
Throughout their life cycle, packaging materials consume resources and energy, often non-renewable. They generate atmospheric emissions and waste.
Currently, 90% of plastics across all sectors (not just packaging) are derived from fossil resources. Six percent of global oil production is dedicated to this production, equivalent to the global consumption of the aviation sector. If the growth of plastic continues at its current pace, by 2050 the sector will account for 20% of global fossil fuel consumption and 15% of our annual "carbon budget" (based on a scenario of global warming limited to 2°C by 2050).
To reduce the environmental impact of our plastic food packaging, replacing petrochemical-based materials with materials derived from renewable, non-food resources is a much-anticipated advance in packaging research.
A research team (INRA and the University of Montpellier), in collaboration with numerous European partners, has just developed a food tray made from agricultural and agri-food industry waste.
Made from a polymer derived from the fermentation of liquid waste from the dairy industry and lignocellulosic fibers from crushed wheat straw, this tray looks just like plastic, but is completely biodegradable.
However, these eco-friendly materials still have one hurdle to overcome: establishing themselves in the packaging market in place of petrochemical-based plastics. With this in mind, a decision support software – to guide users in choosing sustainable packaging – aimed at industry players, for example, has been developed.
As we can see, a transition to innovative approaches is underway. However, it can only be effective if governments implement coordinated incentives at the European level. However, there are currently very few initiatives in France to promote biodegradable packaging: there is little or no specific collection and no eco-tax in favor of these materials (whereas recycled materials benefit from an eco-packaging "bonus").
Valerie Guillard, Associate Professor in Process Engineering Applied to Life Sciences, member of the IUF, University of Montpellier and Nathalie Gontard, Research Director and Professor, INRA
The original version of this article was published on The Conversation.