Packaging that doesn't pollute—it really does exist!
The primary function of food packaging is to protect, transport, and store perishable food items. This is an essential role, but one that is unfortunately increasingly being overlooked in favor of innovations in aesthetics, ease of use, or even fun “gadgets.”
Valérie Guillard, University of Montpellier and Nathalie Gontard, INRA
However, the issue is much more serious than it seems, as packaging is accused of contaminating food and polluting the environment.
Bad for your health and the environment?
Endocrine disruptors are thus 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 involves the crisis surrounding Bisphenol A (BPA), which is present in certain containers, such as baby bottles. These substances, which are necessary for shaping plastics and ensuring their durability, inadvertently end up in our food after prolonged contact with packaging. They can have potentially toxic effects on humans following regular, long-term exposure.
European regulations protect consumers and require packaging manufacturers to comply with “migration limits” for all authorized molecules. However, ongoing discoveries in this field necessitate constant updates to 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 metric tons of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean over an area six times the size of France. This “seventh continent,” composed of plastic materials, is slowly degrading, with long-term consequences for ecosystems that are still poorly understood.
We produce 300 million metric tons of plastic worldwide each year. It is estimated that there are currently 150 million metric 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, year after year. If nothing changes, by 2050 there will be as much plastic as fish by mass in the oceans! This plastic kills one million birds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. The consequences for humans, however, are still poorly understood.
However, recent advances in packaging could make it an essential component of the food supply chain’s sustainability.
Active and Connected Packaging
The internal atmosphere of the packaging can indeed be intentionally modified to improve product shelf life.
Oxygen absorbers are thus commonly used to reduce, without additives or treatment, the oxidation of vitamins or essential fatty acids. They also delay microbial growth.
Many other types of active packaging are now on the market, including moisture absorbers and ethylene absorbers for fruit preservation, among others. Significant research investments are being made in this area, particularly regarding antimicrobial packaging. The development of tools to aid in the design of safe and effective innovative packaging solutions is thus a major area of research.
Through their active role in food preservation, these packaging solutions are expected to yield significant benefits by reducing food loss and waste. According to ADEME, of the 29 kg of food discarded on average each year by each French person, 7 kg consists of food that is still in its packaging.
Other challenges involve so-called “smart” packaging, which informs the various stakeholders in the supply chain—including consumers—about product quality. This helps limit losses resulting from the safety margins applied to best-by dates and from misinterpretation of those dates. This makes it possible to detect the presence of pathogenic bacteria or provide information on a fruit’s ripeness without having to touch or smell it.
A new generation of smart labels has thus just been developed in the laboratories at the University of Montpellier. It combines a plant sensor with an RFID ( radio frequency identification) tag and provides real-time information on a product’s freshness. This RFID tag points to a future where packaged food will be “connected.” It will communicate with our smartphones or smart refrigerators to alert us to which items should be consumed first.
University of Montpellier, 2015
Reducing the ecological footprint
Throughout their life cycle, packaging materials consume resources and energy, often from non-renewable sources. They generate air emissions and waste.
Currently, 90% of plastics across all sectors (not just packaging) are derived from fossil resources. 6% of global oil production is dedicated to this purpose, which is 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 limiting global warming 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 breakthrough 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 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 obtained by grinding wheat straw, this tray looks just like plastic—but it is completely biodegradable.
However, these eco-friendly materials still face one hurdle: establishing themselves in the packaging market as a replacement for petrochemical-based plastics. With this in mind, a decision-support software – to help users choose sustainable packaging – intended for stakeholders in the industry, for example, has been developed.
As we can see, a transition toward innovative approaches is underway. But it can only be effective if governments implement coordinated incentive measures at the European level. Currently, however, there are very few initiatives in France promoting biodegradable packaging: there is little or no dedicated collection, and no eco-tax in favor of these materials (whereas recycled materials benefit from an “eco-packaging bonus”).
Valérie Guillard, Associate Professor of Process Engineering Applied to the Life Sciences, member of the IUF, University of Montpellier and Nathalie Gontard, Research Director and Professor, INRA
The original version This article was published on The Conversation.