Assessing the environmental consequences of shelf life extension: Conventional versus active packaging for pastry cream

Settier-Ramírez, Laura; López‐Carballo, Gracia; Hernández‐Muñoz, Pilar; Tinitana-Bayas, Raisa; Gavara, Rafael; Sanjuán, Neus

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130159

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Figures 5 and 7 show the contributions of the salad packaging processes with the two alternatives (AC and CP) to the different impact categories, and Figures 6 and 8 illustrate in a schematic way the contribution of the processing of the products. In the comparison of the packaging, the AP, despite requiring more resources for its manufacturing, presents a better environmental performance due to its extension of the shelf life of the salad, a result also found by Settier-Ramirez, L et al ( 2022) [41].…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 61%

“…Also, there is a need for comparative LCA studies that evaluate the sustainability of packaging with active coatings against conventional packaging alternatives. Other studies compared the environmental consequences of shelf life extension using conventional and active packaging for pastry cream [41], however, in the packaging LCA-related literature, there is a trend towards a more systematic consideration of the indirect environmental impact of packaging; so, it was important to include in the analysis the interrelationship between the different processes of the packaging manufacturing system, process, use, and final disposal [24]. To fill the gap in the literature, research should focus on conducting an LCA that considers the entire life cycle of packaging with active coatings for preserving fresh products.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental Consequences of Shelf Life Extension: Conventional versus Active Packaging for Fresh-Cut Salads

Villanova-Estors,

Murcia-Velasco,

Correa-Guimarães

et al. 2023

Agronomy

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The use of active coatings in fresh food packaging is an innovative technique that optimizes the functional properties of films, resulting in a longer product shelf life and reduced food waste. But, which is more sustainable, active packaging (AP) or conventional packaging (CP) for the packaging of fresh-cut products? To answer this research question, this study analyzes the environmental performance of AP during its life cycle for packaging a minimally processed fresh salad mix compared with CP, in terms of its manufacture and use. The AP is a bag that includes a bioactive component, oregano essential oil (OEO), which is an inhibitor of microbial growth, incorporated into an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) coating on a conventional polypropylene (PP) film. To this end, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was carried out based on ISO 14040 and 14044, using the ReCiPe methodology. The results showed that using active packaging has a beneficial affect, reducing the amount of produced food by 30% compared with conventional packaging over the same period. The reductions in the studied impact categories were greater than 50% in most of them, with a 62% reduction in global warming. The proposed sensitivity analysis showed the difference between the disposal or treatment of waste generated by the packaging production process and the packaged product, indicating that this step is of great importance for the environmental impacts and sustainability of this process. In 80% of the scenarios analyzed, the AP achieved better results than the CP in terms of damage categories.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 61%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Consequences of Shelf Life Extension: Conventional versus Active Packaging for Fresh-Cut Salads

Villanova-Estors,

Murcia-Velasco,

Correa-Guimarães

et al. 2023

Agronomy

Self Cite

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“…This type of packaging contributes to moisture control and reduces contamination during handling. However, consumers today demand more natural, less processed food products without synthetic preservatives [13]. For this reason, there is a continuous development of new packaging technologies to enhance the stability, quality, and sustainability of food products, extending their shelf life without the need for chemical additives [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the fact that packaging can contribute to shelf-life extension and that it comes after the primary production operations and handling, attention is paid to its contribution in reducing food waste at the retail and consumption stages of the food supply chain. However, due to the lack of data, a comprehensive approach for quantifying the relationship between shelf life and food waste reduction is not yet identified [13,26]. As Amani et al [27] mention, a straightforward relationship between shelf life and food waste is not evident, as several parameters such as complex consumption patterns, long food supply chains, and increased demand for "fresh products" need to be taken into consideration [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although it is well recognized that the agricultural production accounts for the majority of the environmental impacts of the food system, Molina et al [41] question whether the food LCAs can deliver the full picture, when it comes to encapsulating direct and indirect impacts arising in other stages of the FSC and specifically about the effect of packaging material on the products' life cycle [41]. Although there are several LCA studies about the environmental effect of applying different packaging materials on various food products [13,15,[42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51], significant gaps exist on how packaging can affect other stages of the FSC. As Molina et al [41] state, when it comes to the environmental assessment of packaging, one should go a step further from just accounting for the impacts due to production and waste treatment of packaging material [41].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Investigating the Environmental Benefits of Novel Films for the Packaging of Fresh Tomatoes Enriched with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Compounds through Life Cycle Assessment

Tsouti,

Papadaskalopoulou,

Konsta

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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Food systems account for 21–37% of total net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, in the European Union, the retail and consumption stages account for half of the total food waste produced across the entire food supply chain. For this, there is a continuous development of novel packaging materials to extend the shelf life of fresh products and thus reduce food waste produced at these stages. The aim of the present research is to examine the environmental performance of such materials enriched with antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds by considering their effect on the shelf-life extension of packed fresh tomatoes. In particular, two novel packaging films, a film with incorporated tomato leaf-stem extract and Flavomix through extrusion and a film coated with zein nanofibers containing the aforementioned bio-active compounds through electrospinning were studied for the packaging of fresh tomatoes and compared to conventional polypropylene packaging film. An antioxidant effect was recorded for both films achieving a shelf life prolongation of three days. Moreover, both films exhibited in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In addition, antimicrobial activity was observed against yeast and molds and the total viable bacterial count in packed fresh tomatoes. The environmental benefits were evaluated using a life cycle assessment. The results indicated a decrease in the environmental impacts by 14% considering the entire food supply chain for both novel films. The environmental performance of novel film production by extrusion shows an increased impact of 31% compared to conventional film, while nanocoating shows an increased impact of 18%.

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A scoping review of food packaging life cycle assessments that account for packaging-related food waste

Hemachandra,

Hadjikakou,

Pettigrew

2024

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose The aims of this scoping review were to examine the extent to which food packaging life cycle assessment studies included food waste specifically attributed to food packaging, overall and by food category; synthesise outcomes in terms of the ability of packaging solutions to minimise food waste; and identify areas of future research to provide a comprehensive understanding of where future packaging LCA efforts could be directed. Methods This article presents a scoping review of 23 peer-reviewed papers on food packaging LCAs that explicitly accounted for packaging-related food waste. The articles were analysed by the major food product categories examined in the LCAs. The review examined the: (i) distribution of LCAs across food product categories, (ii) packaging materials/solutions assessed, (iii) food waste related packaging functions evaluated, and (iv) additional factors that influence packaging-related food waste (e.g., consumer behaviour). Results and discussion Most of the reviewed LCAs focused on food categories associated with high environmental impacts such as animal-based products (meat and dairy) and highly perishable products (fresh fruits and vegetables). Plastic was the most frequently evaluated packaging material. Shelf-life extension was the most evaluated food waste related packaging attribute, and was found to play an important role in preventing food waste, especially within high impact food categories. Conclusions The small number of studies identified in this review highlights a need for greater attention to food waste across more food categories in future food packaging LCAs. Similarly, there is considerable potential for greater consideration of packaging attributes relevant to different food product categories.

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Assessing the environmental consequences of shelf life extension: Conventional versus active packaging for pastry cream

Cited by 14 publications

References 42 publications

Environmental Consequences of Shelf Life Extension: Conventional versus Active Packaging for Fresh-Cut Salads

Environmental Consequences of Shelf Life Extension: Conventional versus Active Packaging for Fresh-Cut Salads

Investigating the Environmental Benefits of Novel Films for the Packaging of Fresh Tomatoes Enriched with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Compounds through Life Cycle Assessment

A scoping review of food packaging life cycle assessments that account for packaging-related food waste

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