The use of plastics for packaging has some advantages, since they are flexible and inexpensive. However, most plastics are of single use, which, combined with low recycling or reuse ratios, contributes substantially to environmental pollution. This work is part of a project studying the habits of Portuguese citizens concerning plastic food packaging and focuses on aspects related to sustainability. The survey was carried out via an online questionnaire about sustainability, recycling, and knowledge of the effects of plastic materials or their residues on the environment. The results were obtained based on a statistical analysis of the data. The participants tend to think about the negative impact of plastic packages on the environment; 39% sometimes do not buy plastic; and 30% try to look for alternatives. A substantial fraction, 81%, support the avoidance of plastic utensils and reduction in the use of plastic bags. Most participants have a good knowledge of recycling and strongly agree with the use of recycled materials, and 87% of respondents practice separation of different types of waste for recycling. Changing plastic consumption habits has not been an easy task. Nevertheless, it is expected that society will increasingly move toward sustainable habits, questioning its actions and considering their impact on the environment.

Industrialization increases the number of heavy metals released into the environment. Lead (Pb2+), nickel (Ni2+) and chromium (Cr6+) are among these toxic metals and cause irreversible effects on ecosystems and human health due to their bio-accumulative potential. The decontamination through adsorption processes using lignocellulosic wastes from agricultural and/or forestry processes is a viable solution. Hence, this work aimed at studying the effect of pH on the biosorption of the metal ions using four different by-product materials: walnut shell, chestnut shell, pinewood and burnt pinewood. These experiments were conducted with solutions of the three heavy metals in which the adsorbents were immersed to measure the rate of adsorption. A range of pH values from 3.0 to 7.5 was used in the experiments, and the concentrations were determined by atomic absorption. The results showed different behaviour of the biosorbent materials when applied to the different metals. The lead adsorption had an ideal pH in the range of 5.5–7.5 when the walnut shell was used as an adsorbent, corresponding to values of adsorption greater than 90%, but for the other materials, maximum adsorption occurred for a pH of 7.5. For the adsorption of chromium, the pH was very heterogeneous with all adsorbents, with optimal values of pH varying from 3.0 (for chestnut shell) to 6.5 (for walnut shell and wood). For nickel, the best pH range was around pH 5, with different values according to the lignocellulosic material used. These results indicate that the tested biosorbents have the potential to decontaminate wastewater in variable extensions and that by controlling the pH of the solution; a more efficient removal of the heavy metals can be achieved.

The objective of this study is to investigate the consumer perceptions about quality and safety of foods packed in plastic, as well as the impact of plastic materials on human health. To carry out the study, a questionnaire survey about the consumption habits and knowledge about plastic packaging was conducted to a sample of 487 Portuguese adult citizens. The results revealed that most respondents (81%) think about food safety and quality when purchasing foods. Additionally, it was found that the consumer’s knowledge about the toxicity of components possibly migrating from the plastic packaging to the food is still limited (only 46% of participants). However, other negative effects of plastics well known to consumers include environmental pollution and marine fauna degradation (67 and 82% of participants, respectively). Thus, it was concluded that the Portuguese population need to be further educated about the toxicity of some chemical compounds present in plastic packaging, which can be ingested by migrating to the food or which can be absorbed from the environmental microplastics resulting from incorrect disposal.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are new frontiers for this century. Nanotechnology translates into the ability to manipulate the material on a nanoscale. As in other sectors, recent developments in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology offer new opportunities for innovation for food. Nanofoods are considered foods grown, produced, processed or packaged using nanotechnological tools that incorporate nanomaterials to improve nutritional quality, taste or texture, and increase the shelf life of food. Nanotechnology’s applications are diverse, going from nanoencapsulated ingredients, such as bioactive compounds, nutrients and food additives that increase the bioavailability of the compounds, to ingredients that constitute nanostructures and nanotextures that provide barriers for physical-chemical protection, which allow modification of flavour and odour. Also, has the potential to be used as biosensors to monitor food conditions during storage and transport, through packaging that includes indicators. This review covers the development and use of nanotechnology along the food supply chain, focusing the agricultural production, industrial processing and protection through packaging, as well as addressing the advantages and disadvantages of using this technology.