Food Containers Research Articles

Fabrication of Low-Cost, Paper-Based Electrodes for Detection of Bisphenol Compounds

Bisphenol (BP) is a chemical additive that strengthens polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Bisphenol, however, is a known toxicant often categorized as an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Bisphenol absorption in the body has been implicated in contributing to metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, immune toxicity, and other serious diseases. Approximately 90% of humans accumulate BP levels through exposure to food containers, plastic bottles, thermal printing papers, and other everyday plastic products. This accumulation is of special concern on the Navajo Reservation, which has a high rate of diabetes and obesity. We report the development of low-cost, flexible paper-based electrodes for the electrochemical detection of BP compounds. We fabricated paper-based electrodes using conductive carbon paste in a three-electrode system. We demonstrate that our paper-based electrodes can detect BP at 0.1mM, 0.3mM, 0.5mM, and 1mM in the laboratory at physiological pH conditions. These results demonstrate that the sensitivity of these electrodes and their linear electrochemical response make them well suited for real-time applications and point detections.

Subchronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate differentially affects the colon and ileum in adult female mice

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a large-molecular-weight phthalate added to plastics to impart versatile properties. DEHP can be found in medical equipment and devices, food containers, building materials, and children's toys. Although DEHP exposure occurs most commonly by ingesting contaminated foods in the majority of the population, its effects on the gastrointestinal tract have not been well studied. Therefore, we analyzed the effects of subchronic exposure to DEHP on the ileum and colon morphology, gene expression, and immune microenvironment. Adult C57BL/6 female mice were orally dosed with corn oil (control, n = 7) or DEHP (0.02, 0.2, or 30 mg/kg, n = 7/treatment dose) for 30–34 days. Mice were euthanized during diestrus, and colon and ileum tissues were collected for RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Subchronic DEHP exposure in the ileum altered the expression of several immune-mediating factors (Muc1, Lyz1, Cldn1) and cell viability factors (Bcl2 and Aifm1). Similarly, DEHP exposure in the colon impacted the gene expression of factors involved in mediating immune responses (Muc3a, Zo2, Ocln, Il6, and Il17a); and also altered the expression of cell viability factors (Ki67, Bcl2, Cdk4, and Aifm1) as well as a specialized epithelial cell marker (Vil1). Immunohistochemical analysis of the ileum showed DEHP increased expression of VIL1, CLDN1, and TNF and decreased number of T-cells in the villi. Histological analysis of the colon showed DEHP altered morphology and reduced cell proliferation. Moreover, in the colon, DEHP increased the expression of MUC2, MUC1, VIL1, CLDN1, and TNF. DEHP also increased the number of T-cells and Type 2 immune cells in the colon. These data suggest that subchronic DEHP exposure differentially affects the ileum and colon and alters colonic morphology and the intestinal immune microenvironment. These results have important implications for understanding the effects of DEHP on the gastrointestinal system.

Life Cycle Assessment of a Circular Economy Process for Tray Production via Water-Based Upcycling of Vegetable Waste

With one-third of food being wasted at the various steps of the value chain, there is a large amount of biomass constantly being discarded, also wasting the resources consumed for its production. Several strategies have been proposed to use this biomass as a source of raw materials for the production of plastic alternatives, but the environmental impact parameters have rarely been estimated to understand if the proposed process provides an overall benefit. The purpose of this paper is to analyze, through an experimental laboratory campaign, the production process of a vegetable biocomposite material obtained by valorization of biomass from two sources: unsold vegetables from a wholesale market and carrot pomace obtained as a byproduct of juicing. The obtained biocomposite films were thermoformed into trays to replace the traditional plastic food containers made principally with PET. Different scenarios for the lab-scale production of trays were evaluated by testing two water-based processing methods for the two types of biomass used. In order to understand which of the four scenarios was the least impactful, the global warming potential, the cumulative energy demand, and the water scarcity index were used as indicators. Among the different lab-scale processing scenarios for the upscaling of vegetable waste, the least impactful was starting from the unsold/discarded vegetables collected at the wholesale market that were processed via water-based hydrolysis catalyzed by formic acid. Impact parameters were comparable or better than two traditional polymers (PET and HDPE) and two biopolymers (PLA and biopolymer from starch), showing that this process has excellent potential, from an environmental point of view, of substituting plastic packaging.

Waste Polystyrene‐derived Sulfonated Fluorescent Carbon Nanoparticles for Cation Sensing

AbstractPolystyrene, one of the most widely‐produced plastics worldwide, is non‐biodegradable and has unsustainable life‐cycles with only a small fraction recycled presently. Hence, there is considerable effort underway to explore new methods to give post‐consumer polystyrene waste a new lease‐of‐life as functional materials. In this study, we report the synthesis of the first polyanionic fluorescent carbon nanoparticles from sulfonated waste polystyrene food containers via an environmentally‐benign route in water. By virtue of their sulfonate groups, these biocompatible and fluorescent nanoparticles show a number of distinct behaviours in the presence of different main group and transition metal cations. Al3+ brings about both fluorescence enhancement and nanoparticle precipitation, whilst fluorescence quenching was observed for paramagnetic and toxic transition metal cations, with Cu2+ eliciting the most sensitive fluorescence response (LoD=26 μM). These fluorescence intensity perturbations are likely a consequence of direct metal cation coordination to the exposed sulfonate groups on the nanoparticles. Our findings suggest the potential of using post‐synthetically modified waste plastics to produce a family of luminescent carbon materials for environmental sensing of these hazardous cations.

Efficacy of Pleurotus eryngii Mycelium Containers as an Alternative to Current Single-Use Plastic Based Methods

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in takeout orders due to the mandated loss of dine-in options at restaurants. The significant rise in takeout has led to the use of single-use plastic containers that are currently made from materials such as polyethylene and expanded polystyrene (EPS). The aim of our research is to determine the effectiveness of Pleurotus eryngii (King oyster mushroom) based mycelium in replacing single-use takeout food containers. Methods: Variables such as flexural strength, permeability, insulation test, interactions between food and mycelium container, and decomposability in comparison to the common EPS takeout container. Various articles from scholarly sources such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Omni library were used to determine the anticipated results. Results (hypothesized): The flexural strength test will be greater than or equal to 0.43 mPa. The mycelium container should be able to stop various viscosities of food from diffusing through the container due to the hydrophobicity of the mycelia. The mycelium should have greater insulation capacity than the standard EPS container. Qualitative observations obtained for interactions between the mycelium container and food should be similar to the control EPS container. Discussion: The mycelium container will be an effective alternative to using single-use EPS containers due to all tested variables resulting in the same or greater capabilities than the EPS container. Conclusion: Overall, using mycelium containers as an alternative to single use plastic takeout containers would reduce plastic waste and emission pollution, having a positive impact on climate change.

Exposure to environmental pollutant bisphenol A causes oxidative damage and lipid accumulation in Zebrafish larvae: Protective role of WL15 peptide derived from cysteine and glycine-rich protein 2.

Humans are exposed to obesity causing Bisphenol A in various ways, especially through diet and food containers. Bioactive peptides are already reported to have antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antiobesity properties, which can mimic the role of mediators involved in obesity prevention. The protective effect of a short molecule or peptide, WL15 from cysteine and glycine-rich protein 2 of a teleost of aquatic resource on Bisphenol A (BPA)-inducedlipid accumulation in zebrafish larvae was investigated. BPA exposure disrupted the antioxidant enzymes, apoptosis, and nitric oxide and led to changes in biochemical markers including alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, lipid peroxidation, glutathione S-transferases, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione. However, WL15 inhibited the overproduction of oxidative stress, which correlates with its lipid-lowering potential. BPA-inducedlipid accumulation in zebrafish showed an increase in triglyceride, cholesterol, and glucose level; simultaneously, WL15 treatment significantly reduced such accumulation in zebrafish. Evidenced by Oil red O staining and Nile red assay, WL15 inhibited lipid accumulation. At the same time, WL15 at 50 µM increases 2-(N-[7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl]amino)-2-deoxy-d-glucose (2NBDG) glucose uptake in zebrafish. In addition, gene expression studies in zebrafish larvae demonstrated that theWL15 peptide could play a crucial role in preventing lipid accumulation by downregulating the expression of lipogenesis-specific genes. These results revealed an interesting and novel property of WL15, suggesting its potential application in preventing lipid accumulation through the hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties.

Twenty bisphenol analogues in take-out polystyrene-made food containers: concentration levels, simulated migration, and risk evaluation.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is mainly used to produce polycarbonate consumer products. However, the occurrence of BPA and other bisphenol analogues (BPs) in polystyrene-made plastic products, such as white foam take-out containers (WFTOCs), has not been well investigated. In this study, occurrence of 20 BPs in WFTOC samples collected from China, Canada, and Poland were investigated with a sample size of 152. Results showed that 11 out of 20 BPs have been detected at least in one WFTOC sample. Among them, BPA was the most frequently detected BP, followed by bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol AF, while BPF was the least detected BP. Very high concentrations of BPA and BPS were detected in WFTOCs from China (mean 2694 and 552ng/g), compared with Canada (81 and 45ng/g, respectively) and Poland (95 and 16ng/g). Other BPs, such as bisphenol TMC (BPTMC; detection frequency 65%, range < LOQ - 224ng/g), bisphenol G (17%, < LOQ - 11ng/g), and bisphenol BP (11%, < LOQ - 1.6ng/g), were also detected in Chinese WFTOC samples. The mean partitioning coefficients of BPA, BPS, bisphenol AP, and BPTMC between WFTOCs and tap water, 10% ethanol, 50% ethanol, corn oil, or steamed rice were 0.22 - 2.9%, 0.16 - 5.1%, 0.11 - 7.5%, 2.3 - 6.5%, or 0.19 - 0.36%, respectively. The estimated daily intake of BPA, BPS, and BPTMC through using WFTOCs were 0.50 - 547, 0.054 - 229, and < 0.66ng/kg bw/day, respectively, for general population in China, Canada, and Poland. Overall, this study first reveals the unexpected presence of BPs in WFTOCs made of polystyrene, which contributes to the better understanding of the sources of human exposure to BPs.

Alcohol Pretreatment to Eliminate the Interference of Micro Additive Particles in the Identification of Microplastics Using Raman Spectroscopy.

Raman spectroscopy is an indispensable tool in the analysis of microplastics smaller than 20 μm. However, due to its limitation, Raman spectroscopy may be incapable of effectively distinguishing microplastics from micro additive particles. To validate this hypothesis, we characterized and compared the Raman spectra of six typical slip additives with polyethylene and found that their hit quality index values (0.93–0.96) are much higher than the accepted threshold value (0.70) used to identify microplastics. To prevent this interference, a new protocol involving an alcohol treatment step was introduced to successfully eliminate additive particles and accurately identify microplastics. Tests using the new protocol showed that three typical plastic products (polyethylene pellets, polyethylene bottle caps, and polypropylene food containers) can simultaneously release microplastic-like additive particles and microplastics regardless of the plastic type, daily-use scenario, or service duration. Micro additive particles can also adsorb onto and modify the surfaces of microplastics in a manner that may potentially increase their health risks. This study not only reveals the hidden problem associated with the substantial interference of additive particles in microplastic detection but also provides a cost-effective method to eliminate this interference and a rigorous basis to quantify the risks associated with microplastic exposure.

Multifunctional Smart Conducting Polymers-Silver Nanocomposites-Modified Biocellulose Fibers for Innovative Food Packaging Applications.

In recent decades, food-packaging markets have attracted researchers' interest in many ways because such industries can directly affect human health. In this framework, the present study emphasizes the interesting and smart properties provided by new nanocomposites based on conducting polymers (CPs), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and cellulose fibers (CFs) and their possible applications as active food packaging. Polyaniline and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) containing AgNPs were elaborated on via a simple one-step in situ chemical oxidative polymerization on CFs. Spectroscopic and microscopic characterization allowed a full discussion of the morphology and chemical structure of the nanocomposites and confirmed the successful polymerization of the monomer as well as the incorporation of AgNPs into the CP-based formulation. This study aims to demonstrate that it is possible to produce a highly efficient package with enhanced protective properties. Thus, the synthesized nanocomposites were tested as volatile organic compounds, sensors, and antibacterial and antioxidant agents. It is shown that the elaborated materials can, on the one hand, inhibit the development of biofilms and decrease the oxidation reaction rate of foodstuffs and, on the other hand, detect toxic gases generated by spoiled food. The presented method has unlocked massive opportunities for using such formulations as an interesting alternative for classical food containers. The smart and novel properties offered by the synthesized composites can be operated for future industrial applications to prevent any degradation of the packaged products by offering optimum protection and creating an atmosphere that can extend the shelf life of foodstuffs.

The unintended effects of tamper-evident food closures

Restaurant-to-consumer food delivery has experienced disruption with the growth of third-party services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. However, this platform-to-consumer delivery method introduces increased opportunities for food tampering and contamination due to additional touchpoints in the delivery process. To mitigate these concerns, more restaurants are implementing tamper-evident closures such as seals attached to the food containers used for delivery items. Drawing on signaling theory, we examine the effect of tamper-evident closures in the third-party delivery context through two experimental studies and a focus group. Our results revealed a negative effect of tamper-evident seals on willingness to pay through lowered food quality evaluations, suggesting the seal sends contamination signals rather than the intended message of food safety. This negative effect appears robust for both food and beverages. We also demonstrate that consumers’ food safety risk perception (FSRP) acts as a boundary condition, attenuating the negative indirect effect for high-FSRP consumers.

UTILIZATION AND CONSERVATION OF Nepenthes ampullaria Jack IN THE TRADITION OF KENDURI SKO COMMUNITY OF KERINCI, JAMBI

It is common for ethnic Malay in Indonesia and Malaysia to use Nepenthes ampullaria as food containers. However, the use of Nepenthes as part of a cultural tradition has been found only in Kerinci Regency, Jambi. This study explores the local wisdom in utilizing and maintaining the presence of N. ampullaria in Kerinci. Data collection through open-ended and deep interviews through participatory observation methods. Data analysis and presentation are delivered descriptively. Lemang is a compulsory item to be served in traditional ceremonies of kenduri sko. There are two types of lemang in Kerinci, lemang bamboo and lemang kancung beruk. The latter is found only during the kenduri sko tradition in Kecamatan Gunung Raya and Bukit Kerman. Therefore, the existence of lemang kancung beruk in these two sub-districts has become obligatory and has no other comparable substitute. In Gunung Raya and Bukit Kerman, the Kenduri sko is held four times a year. The need for N. ampullaria for kenduri sko in these two sub-districts is enormous. For the event, each household needs at least 500 to 2000 pitchers of N. ampullaria. The people of Kerinci harvest N. ampullaria directly from the wild to fulfill the need. The population of N. ampullaria that still survives in its natural habitat is evidence of the success of the local community in maintaining the existence of N. ampullaria in Kerinci. Method and schedule arrangements can allow the population of N. ampullaria to recover. &#x0D; &#x0D; Key words: Nepenthes, Kenduri sko, Lemang kancung beruk

Evaluation of safety criteria for the total amount of volatiles in foam food containers in Ho Chi Minh City

Disposable plastic utensils such as plastic boxes and foam boxes are becoming more and more popular with significant output in Vietnam. These products are mainly made from polystyrene, which should be strictly controlled to reduce the risk of food insecurity, due to the leaching of certain substances into food. Therefore, conducting a study to determine the toxic substances remaining in the styrofoam box is necessary, with objective is to determine the percentage of foam food container products with total volatiles (through the determination of substances: styrene, ethylbenzene, toluene, n-propylbenzene) exceeding the allowable limit according to QCVN 12-1:2011/BYT. The study conducted on 138 samples of foam boxes randomly collected at 46 markets in 23 districts in Ho Chi Minh City, with analytical method being GC-MS technical method for the determination of volatile compounds from foam boxes. Results showed that all 138 foam samples had amount of each styrene, ethylbenzene below 1 mg/g, total styrene and ethylbenzene less than 1 mg/g, total volatiles (styrene, toluene, ethylbenzene, n-propylbenzene) are all below 5 mg/g. Conclusion: There should be stricter control regulations on the quality of disposable food containers and the use of foam boxes should be limited to reduce the impact on the environment. &amp;nbsp;

CO2-mediated thermal treatment of disposable plastic food containers

In accordance with global economic prosperity, the frequencies of food delivery and takeout orders have been increasing. The pandemic life, specifically arising from COVID-19, rapidly expanded the food delivery service. Thus, the massive generation of disposable plastic food containers has become significant environmental problems. Establishing a sustainable disposal platform for plastic packaging waste (PPW) of food delivery containers has intrigued particular interest. To comprise this grand challenge, a reliable thermal disposable platform has been suggested in this study. From the pyrolysis process, a heterogeneous plastic mixture of PPW was converted into syngas and value-added hydrocarbons (HCs). PPW collected from five different restaurants consisted of polypropylene (36.9 wt%), polyethylene (10.5 wt%), polyethylene terephthalate (18.1 wt%), polystyrene (13.5 wt%), polyvinyl chloride (4.2 wt%), and other composites (16.8 wt%). Due to these compositional complexities, pyrolysis of PPW led to formations of a variety of benzene derivatives and aliphatic HCs. Adapting multi-stage pyrolysis, the different chemicals were converted into industrial chemicals (benzene, toluene, styrene, etc.). To selectively convert HCs into syngas (H2 and CO), catalytic pyrolysis was adapted using supported Ni catalyst (5 wt% Ni/SiO2). Over Ni catalyst, H2 was produced as a main product due to CH bond scission of HCs. When CO2 was used as a co-reactant, HCs were further transformed to H2 and CO through the chemical reactions of CO2 with gas phase HCs. CO2-assisted catalytic pyrolysis also retarded catalyst deactivation inhibiting coke deposition on Ni catalyst.

Long-term stability of several endocrine disruptors in the first morning urine samples and their associations with lifestyle characteristics

Parabens, triclosan (TCS), bisphenols, benzophenones, and phthalates are typical endocrine disruptors (EDs) with short half-lives in the human body. The concentration levels of those EDs in a spot urine sample are frequently used in exposure assessment studies, and the reproducibility of urinary levels of these nonpersistent EDs should be considered. In the present study, we consecutively collected 45-day first morning void (FMV) urine samples, as well as daily questionnaires, in six recruited participants and measured the urinary concentrations of six parabens, TCS, nine bisphenols, five benzophenones, and ten phthalate metabolites by using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. MeP, EtP, PrP, TCS, BPA, BPS, BPF, and most phthalate metabolites were frequently detected (over 62 % of samples). The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for ED concentrations in FMV urine samples ranged from fair to excellent for MeP (0.683), EtP (0.702), BPA (0.505), BPS (0.908), BPF (0.887), BP-3 (0.712), mMP (0.661), mEP (0.523), mBP (0.500), miBP (0.724), mBzP (0.961) and all metabolites of DEHP (0.867–0.957), whereas they were low for PrP (0.321) and TCS (0.306). After creatinine adjustment, the values of ICCs for most target EDs were increased with mild to significant improvement. The stability of ED concentrations was affected by daily diet (MeP, TCS, BPA, mMP, miBP, mBP and mBzP), food containers (PrP and mECPP), use of personal care products (HMWP metabolites), pharmaceuticals (EtP) and recorded activities (BPS, mEHP, mBzP, mEHHP and mEOHP), as confirmed by a general linear mixed model. Furthermore, extending the FMV sampling period improved the probability of acceptable reproducibility (ICCs > 0.40) of MeP, EtP, BP-3 and mEP concentrations. For BPS, BPF and HMWP metabolite concentrations showed high probabilities (>80 %) of acceptable reproducibility in the last three days, and the increasing sample size slowly improved the ability to discriminate the subjects. The results were exactly the opposite for BPA concentrations.

“Food Container (DABUS Germany)”

“Food Container (DABUS Germany)”

Rancangan Model Bisnis Produk Berbahan Dasar Bioplastik Menggunakan Business Model Canvas dan Peta Empati

Plastic waste management is a problem because plastic is a material that cannot be decomposed naturally (non-biodegradable). Bioplastics are used as a substitute for conventional plastics because they degrade quickly and are environmentally friendly. One way to overcome environmental problems regarding plastic waste is necessary to make changes to the raw materials of the plastic. This study aims to analyze consumer wants and needs regarding bioplastic products and develop a business model design for products made from bioplastics. This research method uses the design thinking method with the stages of analyzing the empathy map and the business model canvas (BMC). The results showed that the market segmentation was dominated by people aged 18-25 years. In addition, respondents want the type of product made from bioplastics that are produced as a food or beverage container with good quality and durability and an attractive design. The marketing strategy that can be done is to sell products online and promote products at significant events such as expos and bazaars.

Genotoxicity of Particles From Grinded Plastic Items in Caco-2 and HepG2 Cells.

Large plastic litters degrade in the environment to micro- and nanoplastics, which may then enter the food chain and lead to human exposure by ingestion. The present study explored ways to obtain nanoplastic particles from real-life food containers. The first set of experiments gave rise to polypropylene nanoplastic suspensions with a hydrodynamic particle size range between 100 and 600 nm, whereas the same grinding process of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) produced suspensions of particles with a primary size between 100 and 300 nm. The exposure did not cause cytotoxicity measured by the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and water soluble tetrazolium 1 (WST-1) assays in Caco-2 and HepG2 cells. Nanoplastics of transparent PET food containers produced a modest concentration-dependent increase in DNA strand breaks, measured by the alkaline comet assay [net induction of 0.28 lesions/106 bp at the highest concentration (95% CI: 0.04; 0.51 lesions/106 base pair)]. The exposure to nanoplastics from transparent polypropylene food containers was also positively associated with DNA strand breaks [i.e., net induction of 0.10 lesions/106 base pair (95% CI: −0.04; 0.23 lesions/106 base pair)] at the highest concentration. Nanoplastics from grinding of black colored PET food containers demonstrated no effect on HepG2 and Caco-2 cells in terms of cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species production or changes in cell cycle distribution. The net induction of DNA strand breaks was 0.43 lesions/106 bp (95% CI: 0.09; 0.78 lesions/106 bp) at the highest concentration of nanoplastics from black PET food containers. Collectively, the results indicate that exposure to nanoplastics from real-life consumer products can cause genotoxicity in cell cultures.

Estimating consumers’ willingness to pay for reusable food containers when ordering delivery food: A contingent valuation approach

The environmental impacts of delivery food packaging waste pose an increasing threat as the delivery industry is growing rapidly worldwide. Possible effects include soil, water and air pollution, increased CO2-emissions and death of aquatic organisms. Previous research has demonstrated the environmental advantages of distributing reusable food containers, rather than single-use or bio-degradable. Therefore, this research examines the possibility of introducing a city-scale reusable food container system for delivery platforms in Seoul, South Korea, based on a contingent valuation survey that examined the consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) additionally in order to get a reusable container when ordering delivery food. If the container has to be returned to a facility within 500m, the WTP was found to be USD 1.92; if the container will be picked up at the point of delivery, the WTP is USD 2.18. The cost analysis suggests that it is feasible to offer reusable food container option for companies that have at least 25% market share in South Korea, with which a 114% return of investment can be achieved after one year. Based on the results, policy recommendations are made to support the introduction of reusable food containers for delivery platforms and a pilot project in areas with high population density is suggested.

Trust is felt to be a Good Trigger in Marketing and Green Products in Generating Purchase Interest

Objective: This research was conducted with the aim of knowing the mediating role of trust in green products regarding the relationship between green product marketing awareness and product innovation on the purchase intention of environmentally friendly products.Methodology: This research is a quantitative research with the object of research are informants who already know as recycled fashion products, environmentally friendly drinking places, tissues, food containers and obtained 300 population data from distributing this questionnaire. The research instrument was distributed using a Google form. Using random sampling technique obtained 100 participants who already represent the representativeness of the data, analyzed by structural equation analysis (SEM) using the Smart PLS applicationResults: The findings of the study indicate that a direct relationship between green marketing awareness and product innovation has a positive influence on product purchase intentions. The direct relationship of trust felt by consumers has a positive influence on product purchase intentions. Mediating role Trust in products is able to mediate in awareness of green product marketing and product innovation on product purchase intentions. This means that the trust of customers must always be maintained in terms of the marketing we do and the products provided. Conclusion: Customers' trust in products that care about the environment that does not damage the environment is realized by a green marketing system so that this becomes a driving force for customers' buying intentions.

Development and Validation of a New Questionnaire to Measure Knowledge Level of Street Food Hawkers to Support the Single-Use Plastics Reduction Program in Kelantan, Malaysia

Food hawkers’ knowledge about single-use plastic food containers must be assessed using a valid and reliable tool to improve assessment and evidence collection credibility and to promote environmental sustainability practice. This study aims to develop and validate a new questionnaire to assess the knowledge level of street food hawkers to support the single-use plastics reduction program. Seven experts were involved in the questionnaire process. In the validation process, a cross-sectional study employed the purposive sampling of 660 night-market street food hawkers in a north-eastern state in Peninsular Malaysia, utilising a Google Forms questionnaire with 22 self-administered items. The Content Validity Index (CVI) and Face Validity index (FVI) were used for the construct analysis. The dichotomous response scale was analysed using a two-parameter logistic model of item response theory (2-PL IRT), while marginal reliability used to determine the internal consistency. The I-CVI were calculated for all items with the value ≥ 0.83, except for nine items with I-CVI &lt; 0.83. I-FVI with values of 0.83 or more were acceptable. The 2-PL IRT analyses indicated good psychometric properties considering the discrimination and difficulty index. The marginal reliability value was 0.77. The newly developed questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to assess the knowledge level of street-food hawkers to support the single-use plastics reduction program.