Package Labeling Research Articles

Comparison of Packaging and Online Nutritional Labels of Baby Biscuits and Puries on Sale in Turkey

Amaç: Bu çalışmada Türkiye’de satışta olan bebek bisküvileri ve pürelerinin çevrimiçi ve ambalaj etiket bilgilerindeki besinsel içerikler arasındaki tutarlılığın değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Ayrıca, bu ürünlerin etiket yönetmeliğine uygunluğu da incelenmiştir. 
 Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu kapsamda, Türkiye’deki alışveriş sitelerinde satışa sunulan bebek bisküvileri (n=18) ve pürelerinin (n=41) web sitelerinde ve ambalajlarındaki etiket bilgileri edinilmiştir. Daha sonra, 100 gram ürüne karşılık gelen enerji, karbonhidrat, şeker, yağ, doymuş yağ, protein ve tuz miktarları ile etiket yönetmeliğinin gerektirdiği hususlar kaydedilmiştir. Tüm veriler SPSS 22.0 programına aktarılarak, istatistiksel analizler gerçekleştirilmiştir. 
 Bulgular: Bebek bisküvilerinin çevrimiçi etiketleri ve ambalaj etiketlerinde yer alan besinsel içeriğin ortalamalar arasındaki farkı istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmazken; bebek pürelerinin çevrimiçi ve ambalajlardaki enerji ve karbonhidrat içeriklerindeki fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlıdır (p

Per- and Polyfluorinated Compounds in Menstrual Products and its Relationship with Natural Labeling

Per- and Polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” gain their name from their persistence in both the environment and the human body. From pots to drinking water to period products/menstrual products, PFAS are found in seemingly every product both in and out of markets, yet PFAS in period products is of particular interest within this study due to its potential for harm. Due to the permeability of the vaginal mucosa and the misleading labeling of packaging, numerous people are being exposed to these compounds unknowingly, and thus their large range of potential side effects. Alongside the lack transparency within the composition of period products and the unknowing addition of PFAS through manufacturing and a lack of oversight, labels like “natural” and “non-toxic” lose their meaning. This study is performed to heighten awareness to this issue to potentially promote change in both transparency policy with “medical devices” and consumer/brand awareness of their products. This study attempts to show the lack of relationship between labeling and PFAS detection in menstrual products through an analysis of data from a Mamvation study alongside product listings on common consumer sites. By showing the lack of relationship, this study helps initiate an important discussion that can be used to spur change within accepted systems (such as United States policy on labeling and a lack of transparency and knowledge of product production chains behind brand names.

DISCUSSION ON ECOLOGICAL AQUACULTURE AND INNOVATIVE OPERATION STRATEGY

This study aims to improve the problems faced by Taiwan's aquaculture industry, such as the increased risk of drug residues caused by excessive use of water and soil resources and high-density farming, and to improve its competitiveness. Improve regional production and marketing operations, increase environmental protection production methods, and increase young people's willingness to return to their hometowns to invest. In order to increase consumers' trust in aquaculture aquatic products, basic safety requirements can be achieved through production and sales history labels, vacuum-sealed packaging, and clear labels, thereby enhancing consumer loyalty. Brand features and product discounts can also enhance loyalty. This study uses the focus group interview method to understand the problems of regional farming and the expected future prospects. Results found that it is possible to integrate regional farmers, establish sales channels for agricultural and fishery products in Chiayi, achieve sustainable development and improve competitiveness, and increase the willingness of young people to return to their hometowns to invest. To sum up, there are the following three propositions: (1) Construct cooperation channels to increase the added value of production and sales. (2) Introduce friendly breeding and increase product differentiation. (3) Establish an intelligent platform to train young people to return hometown. In addition, it is also suggested to combine the promotion of local recreational fishery and the characteristics of e-commerce distribution and sales to establish an operation model of online distribution and sales; and widely publicize Taiwan's seafood and aquatic product certification and inspection system to promote friendly farming methods to improve the existing breeding environment. Protect the sustainable environment and increase production value.

Tobacco research and public health messaging needs to be realigned to support more effective FDA rulemaking – A commentary on Shadel, et al., “Doing more with less: A proposal to advance cigarette packaging labeling in the United States”

Tobacco research and public health messaging needs to be realigned to support more effective FDA rulemaking – A commentary on Shadel, et al., “Doing more with less: A proposal to advance cigarette packaging labeling in the United States”

Assessing the difference in contamination of retail meat with multidrug-resistant bacteria using for-consumer package label claims that indicate on-farm antibiotic use practices- United States, 2016-2019.

Antibiotic use in food-producing animals can select for antibiotic resistance in bacteria that can be transmitted to people through contamination of food products during meat processing. Contamination resulting in foodborne illness contributes to adverse health outcomes. Some livestock producers have implemented antibiotic use reduction strategies marketed to consumers on regulated retail meat packaging labels ("label claims"). We investigated whether retail meat label claims were associated with isolation of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs, resistant to ≥3 classes of antibiotics) from U.S. meat samples. We utilized retail meat data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) collectedduring 2016-2019 for bacterial contamination of chicken breast, ground turkey, ground beef, and pork chops. We used modified Poisson regression models to compare the prevalence of MDRO contamination among meat samples with any antibiotic restriction label claims versus those without such claims (i.e., conventionally produced). In NARMS, 62,338 meat samples were evaluated for bacterial growth from 2016-2019. Of these, 24,446 (39%) samples had label claims that indicated antibiotic use was restricted during animal production. MDROs were isolated from 2252 (4%) meat samples, of which 71% (n = 1591) were conventionally produced, and 29% (n = 661) had antibiotic restriction label claims. Compared with conventional samples, meat with antibiotic restriction label claims had a statistically lower prevalence of MDROs (adjusted prevalence ratio: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.73). This relationship was consistent for the outcome of any bacterial growth. This repeated cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative retail meat surveillance database in the United States supports that retail meats labeled with antibiotic restriction claims were less likely to be contaminated with MDROs compared with retail meat without such claims during 2016-2019. These findings indicate the potential for the public to become exposed to bacterial pathogens via retail meat and emphasizes a possibility that consumers could reduce their exposure to environmental reservoirs of foodborne pathogensthat are resistant to antibiotics.

Enhancing Efficiency and Accuracy in Food Packaging and Pharmaceutical Labeling: An Analysis of UV Laser Printing Technology

Enhancing Efficiency and Accuracy in Food Packaging and Pharmaceutical Labeling: An Analysis of UV Laser Printing Technology

Purchasing habits, age effects and Chinese consumers' willingness to pay for chilled pork: Evidence from a random Nth‐price auction experiment

AbstractAs concerns over African swine fever (ASF) in China continue, measures have been taken to regulate the inter‐provincial transport of live hogs, yet entrenched non‐chilled fresh pork consumption habits make it challenging to expand the chilled pork in the market. To address this issue, our study employed multiple rounds of random Nth‐price auction experiments to measure participants' quality perceptions of, and willingness to pay (WTP) for chilled pork under different packaging, storage temperature and duration labels. By comparing the results with physicochemical lab testing outcomes, we confirmed the existence of a quality perception bias among the participants. Notably, consumers who regularly consume chilled meat demonstrated a higher average WTP, while consumers born in the 1980s exhibited significantly higher bids. Furthermore, access to emerging purchase channels positively influences consumer WTP for chilled meat, particularly through branded product purchasing experiences. Consequently, it is recommended that the public sector takes steps to balance the distribution of pork production capacity and supports the development of cold chain transportation technology to meet the growing demand for high‐quality chilled pork, especially from younger consumers.

Outer packaging labelling of medicines in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries: comparative analysis of requirements and transition terms for harmonisation

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an urgent need for harmonised requirements for the regulation of medicines. To fully implement harmonised medicines regulations across Africa, common technical standards of medicine regulations are needed. One such technical standard is the labelling of medicines on outer packaging. In this study, we compared outer packaging labelling requirements and transition terms for harmonization for countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.MethodsData on legislation and/or regulatory guidelines for medicine outer packaging labelling from National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) were obtained for countries in the SADC region (n = 16) by February 2023. A detailed comparative content analysis was conducted to determine alignment with the requirements of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) harmonised labelling guidelines to assess readiness levels of each country to transition to the SADC harmonised labelling guideline for outer packaging of medicines.ResultsContent analysis showed at least 11 out of 16 countries require national legal reform to transition to the SADC harmonised labelling guideline. In all cases where countries specified labelling requirements for outer packaging of medicines, these were stipulated in national medicines legislation.ConclusionEven though there is a high level of alignment across the countries in terms of national labelling requirements, most countries in the SADC region would still require national legislative reform to transition to regional harmonised labelling requirements and then ultimately to continental requirements of the African Medicines Agency (AMA).

Nutrients or processing? An analysis of food and drink items from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey based on nutrient content, the NOVA classification and front of package traffic light labelling.

UK front of package labelling (FOPL) informs consumers on the nutrient content of food. However, FOPL does not consider food processing, and with the UK government being urged to act on ultra-processed food (UPF), whether UPF should be added to FOPL is unclear. This study compared food and drink in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Intake24 database based on FOPL, nutrient content and NOVA classification, to understand whether UPF are covered by dietary recommendations for foods high in fat, salt and sugar. NDNS items were coded into minimally processed food (MPF), processed culinary ingredients, processed food and UPF according to the NOVA classification and FOPL traffic lights. UPF contained greater energy, fat, saturated fat (SF), total sugar (TS) and salt than MPF. UPF had a greater odds of containing red FOPL and an unhealthier overall FOPL score (OR:4·59 (95 % CI: 3·79, 5·57); OR:7·0 (95 % CI: 6·1, 8·2), respectively) and lower odds of containing green FOPL (OR:0·05 (95 % CI: 0·03, 0·10)), compared with MPFs. For items with no red FOPL, UPF still contained greater energy, fat, SF, TS and salt than MPF. However, several UPF have healthier FOPL scores. UPF had an unhealthier nutritional profile and FOPL score than MPF. For items with no red FOPL, UPF still had an unhealthier profile than MPF, with a higher energy density. Importantly, not all UPF were unhealthy according to FOPL. These results indicate partial overlap between FOPL, nutrient content and NOVA classification of UK food and drink products, with implications for UK food and drink labelling.

Atenção visual e escolha de atributos em rótulos de cafés especiais

Abstract This study uses eye-tracking metrics to quantify the visual attention given to differentiation attributes in specialty coffees. Two Discrete Choice-type experiments were developed using the packaging as a stimulus to analyze visual attention and the probability of choice for each attribute. Experiment 1 (466 observations) included the evaluation of the attributes price, brand, coffee variety, organic label and origin. Experiment 2 (279 observations) tested price, score, altitude and roast. Experiments 1 and 2 revealed that the use of the Time Fixation Duration (TFD) and Visit Count (VC) metrics were efficient in evaluating the effect of visual attention on the choice of each attribute present in the packaging. In experiment 2, the Time to First Fixation (TFF) and the willingness-to-pay (WTP) metrics were also significant, the latter of which had a value higher than the highest price indicated by the retailer. The packaging label could be considered a first potential activation regarding the novelty that these attributes represent, and the findings of this study can direct the efforts of the coffee industry to educate its customers about the main quality attributes related to the consumption of specialty coffees that are still poorly understood, but which may generate future profitability.

Determination of carbohydrate content in soft drinks. Methodological aspects and results of research using various methods

An important component of the programs to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and other chronic noncommunicable diseases is limiting the intake of added sugars. Information about the composition of the product and its nutritional value contained in the labeling contributes to the informed choice of consumers when forming a diet. On July 1, 2023, new provisions of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation came into force, providing for the imposition of an excise tax on "sugar-containing drinks" - soft drinks made with added sugar and containing carbohydrates in quantities of more than 5 g/100 ml. The stated goal of the new excise regulation is to reduce sugar consumption by the population. Currently, information on the carbohydrate content in soft drinks is provided by manufacturers based on calculated values according to the recipe, which makes it possible to take into account as much as possible all the carbohydrate components of the product. There is no standardized method for analytically assessing the carbohydrate content of soft drinks (including "sugar-sweetened beverages" for excise tax purposes). The purpose of the work was the comparative analysis of existing analytical methods for determining the content of sugars and carbohydrates in general in foods, including beverages; and determination of the most correct analytical approach to assessing the content of carbohydrates in soft drinks. Material and methods. The existing methods for determining sugars and carbohydrates in foods, including beverages, have been analyzed. The objects of research were samples of model aqueous solutions with different sugar concentrations (30 samples) and 17 samples of industrially produced soft drinks (including tonic and tonic energy drinks) made using sugar or sugars (glucose-fructose syrup), sweeteners, and a mixture of sugar and sweeteners. The total content of sugars/carbohydrates in beverages was determined: in accordance with MU 10-05031531-372-93 as the difference between the total dry matter content and the dry matter from acids; by the Bertrand method; by the Bertrand-Schorl method. The obtained values were compared with the calculated data specified in the labeling of consumer packaging of the products. Results. The determination of sugars in model solutions showed sufficient accuracy of the Bertrand-Schorl method: deviations of the obtained values from the amount of sugars added to the model solution were observed only at their high concentration (over 10 g/100 ml) and amounted to ±0.1 g/100 ml. The carbohydrate content in industrial soft drinks estimated by various methods differed slightly from that indicated in the labeling (obtained by calculation). The differences were at the level from - 0.2 to +0.4 g/100 ml when using the method from MU 10-05031531-372-93, at the level from -2.6 to +0.8 g/100 ml when using the Bertrand method and at the level from -2.7 to +0.1 g/100 ml when using the Bertrand-Schorl method. The greatest differences were observed for tonic drinks (including energy drinks) - from -2.7 to +0.3 g /100 ml, depending on the method. Conclusion. The research data showed that the Bertrand-Schorl method can be used as a basis for developing a state standard for determining the total sugar content in soft drinks and for assessing their carbohydrate content in general. At the same time, the method needs to be refined for tonic drinks. At present, the most acceptable method is to assess the carbohydrate content using the analytical method given in MU 10-05031531-372-93, but it should be taken into account that deviations from the carbohydrate content values determined by this method from the values obtained by calculation can be up to +10%. At the same time, the calculation method for determining the carbohydrate content in drinks remains a priority, including for the purposes of excise regulation.

Smart Packaging for Chicken Meat Quality: Absorbent Food Pad and Whatman Paper Applications

Quality and shelf-life extension are major concerns in the development of meat packaging systems. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of absorbent food pads combined with intelligent packaging as well as to determine the correlation between active packaging and smart indicator labels. The active packaging applied absorbent food pads as carriers of active ingredients from basil and lemongrass, which are expected to extend the shelf life of chicken meat and maintain its quality. Meanwhile, intelligent packaging employs Whatman paper treated with Phenol Red (PR), providing real-time information on the quality of chicken meat. Various chicken meat spoilage test parameters such as thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), total bacteria of total plate Count (TPC), and pH were tested at chiller temperature (4oC) every 3 × 24 hours. The results of this study indicated that an absorbent food pad with lemongrass essential oil can extend the shelf life of chicken meat by 3 days while, the intelligent indication label’s color profile changed from yellow at the beginning of application to red during chicken spoilage. Therefore, smart packaging from a combination of an absorbent food pad as active packaging and phenol red indicator label as intelligent packaging can potentially extend the shelf life of chicken and monitor the condition of chicken meat during storage.

Increasing the Value of MSME Products in Polosiyo Srandakan, Bantul, Special Region of Yogyakarta

Abstract. This service activity targets MSMEs located in Polosiyo Poncosari Hamlet, Srandakan District, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. This service activity aims to increase the income of MSMEs through the abon lele (shredded catfish) business. Many people in Polosiyo Hamlet are currently doing entrepreneurship, including catfish farming. There are several types of markets that accept catfish, depending on the size of the harvest. The market that receives the most is the size of pecel lele or super size, which is 6-8 heads per kg. There are also those who receive sizes below that, which are 9-11 heads per kg. Usually those who receive are warung padang, sunda, or warteg. Fish harvested large or 3-5 heads per kg is not in demand by consumers; therefore, suppliers initiate processing catfish into shredded meat. The purpose of making shredded catfish is to increase the selling value of large catfish that consumers do not demand. The problem in the production sector is that residents do not know how to process catfish into shredded. Problems in terms of marketing are about brand, packaging, marketing mechanism, and market share. The solutions offered to solve these problems are 1) procurement, training, and manufacturing of shredded catfish products. 2) Training and assistance in making product packaging labels so that they look more attractive and have high selling points. 3) Training and mentoring in online product marketing, and 4) Training and mentoring in social media creation. The activities held are in the form of 1) Conducting training on making shredded catfish, 2) Conducting training and assistance in making product packaging and packaging labels so that they look more attractive and have high selling value, 3) Conducting training and mentoring in online product marketing, and 4) Conducting training and assistance in making social media. In addition to these activities, waste management activities were also held. The output of this activity is the publication of Sinta-accredited journals, presentations at national seminars, and the publication of activity videos on YouTube channels.

PH-sensitive films based on carboxymethyl cellulose/date pits anthocyanins: A convenient colorimetric indicator for beef meat freshness tracking

The pH-sensitive intelligent film is a much-awaited advancement in packaging technology, which uses visually discernible color changes to warn consumers about the freshness or spoilage of perishable food products. This study aims to develop an intelligent indicating film based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), formulated with date pits anthocyanins-rich extract (DPAE) at 1.5 %. The incorporation of DPAE significantly enhanced the physical (moisture content, swelling index, water solubility and biodegradability) and mechanical (thickness, elongation at break and thickness). Developed films exhibited a higher antioxidant and antibacterial activity against food-borne pathogens. Furthermore, the inclusion of DPAE had a noticeable effect on pH-sensitive characteristics of the CMC/DPAE films. Interestingly, the CMC/DPAE film displayed a color change from yellow to dark brownish in response to changes in pH levels, covering a wide range from 1 to 13. The CMC/DPAE films were also capable of detecting ammonia at concentrations ranging from 0.125 to 1 mg/mL. In order to monitor the freshness of minced beef meat stored under refrigerated conditions at 4 °C over 14 days, CMC/DPAE films exhibited noticeable color variations corresponding to the changes in meat quality, which were assessed based on total volatile basic nitrogen, microbial count, and pH during storage. The color alteration on the packaging label shifted from yellow to dark, signifying changes in meat freshness. The obtained results stipulated that the newly developed CMC/DPAE films hold promise as innovative colorimetric pH indicators for tracking the freshness and spoilage meat-products in the food industry and supermarkets.

Can environmentally themed music increase consumers' willingness to pay for low-carbon food? A discrete choice experiment method

Transitioning to low-carbon food consumption is indispensable for adapting to and mitigating climate change. Nevertheless, altering dietary habits presents a host of formidable challenges. To explore the role of environmentally themed music in promoting low-carbon food consumption, we conducted a discrete choice experiment, incorporating Michael Jackson's renowned “Earth Song” in the background information. The results revealed the following key insights: Firstly, consumers show concerns about food safety, nutrients, and unnaturalness of the cell-cultured beef, demonstrating the existence of food neophobia or distrust of novelties in cell-cultured beef. Secondly, while the inclusion of environmentally themed music did not completely eliminate consumers' food neophobia, it undeniably played a pivotal role in significantly improving their willingness to pay (WTP) for cell-cultured meat. This effect was achieved by effectively conveying environmental information, stimulating guilt and responsibility, and igniting consumers' enthusiasm for environmental protection. Thirdly, the introduction of “Earth Song” caused a crowding-out effect on eco-friendly packaging and carbon labeling, and reshaped trust in distribution channels. These impacts are all related to the high price of low-carbon food. All these conclusions underscore the substantial role that environmentally themed music can play in promoting low-carbon foods and valuable insights for policymakers and low-carbon food producers.

Pelatihan dan Pendampingan Strategi E-Commerce, Desain dan Label Produk Bagi UMKM di Kecamatan Gunungpati

Problems faced by mosque youth service partners include: Not all MSMEs have good access to stable internet. This can hinder their ability to manage their online store, update inventory, or interact with customers efficiently. Many MSMEs have limitations in terms of human resources, technical expertise and technological infrastructure. This makes it difficult for them to manage the e-commerce platform effectively. Packaging and labels must match the product itself, both in terms of size, shape and other physical characteristics. Finding practical and attractive packaging that also protects the product well can be a challenge. Good packaging design can sometimes involve additional costs, such as graphic designer fees or custom packaging production. For MSMEs with limited budgets, this can be an obstacle.
 This service activity was carried out in the Gunungpati Village hall on Jalan Magersari Gunungpati, Gunungpati District, Semarang, which included lectures, training and direct mentoring and step-by-step direct assistance. This activity was carried out over 2 days and was attended by 17 participants from MSME actors in the Gunungpati Village area in Gunungpati District, Semarang City and guided by 7 presenters/lecturers from the University of Computer Science and Technology.
 Training activities along with assistance on product packaging labeling received a good response from partners and participants. Partners, in this case, the Gunungpati Village, appreciates this activity because it can help in developing the MSMEs of its fostered partners in increasing their knowledge and skills regarding labeling. Product labeling will be more perfect if it can be completed with halal legality and a production permit, so education needs to be carried out through training and mentoring regarding this matter, especially for MSMEs in business. Increased understanding of MSME business actors regarding the importance of packaging and label design on products sold, increased quality of product packaging through brands and labels printed on the packaging, and increased income from MSME business actors in Gunungpati Subdistrict.

Acceptability of a balanced energy protein (BEP) supplement for pregnant women in Bangladesh.

Balanced energy protein (BEP) supplementation in pregnancy is recommended in the context of undernutrition for the reduction of small-for-gestational age neonates and stillbirths. To inform an effectiveness trial, we evaluated the acceptability of a packaged, ready-to-eat fortified BEP product among women of reproductive age and their health care providers (HCPs) in rural Bangladesh and explored the feasibility of adhering to daily supplementation. We implemented a formative study using focus groups discussions with women (n = 29) and HCPs (n = 17) to introduce the product and investigate components of acceptability. A "trials of improved practice" activity was conducted in subset of women (n = 16) to evaluate adherence to BEP over a 2-week period, followed by focus group discussions to identify challenges with adherence and strategies employed. Contributors to BEP acceptability included the product's sensory attributes, such as taste, smell and texture; the attractive packaging and informative labelling; and the perceived benefits of use. Participants also identified household and community level factors influencing the adoption of BEP, such as trust in the provider, cultural beliefs on supplement use in pregnancy, and family member tasting and approval. Over the 2-week period, women consumed over 80% of the supplements provided to them and identified strategies for adherence, including visual aids and reminders from family members or providers. HCPs recommended targeted communication messages for mothers-in-law to foster a supportive home environment. Findings informed changes to the BEP product to improve acceptability and shaped the content of communication messages to optimise adherence in a forthcoming effectiveness trial.

Designing of Yogurt Packaging Product Using Quality Function Deployment Technique (Case Study at UMKM Ceriyogurt)

Yogurt is a dairy product made through a fermentation process. Currently, yogurt packaging uses bottle-shaped plastic material. The current problem with yogurt packaging is that the visual image of the packaging, packaging shape, material thickness, packaging size and completeness of the packaging label is still low, so it is considered that it does not meet customer needs. Currently, yogurt packaging uses bottle-shaped plastic material. The problem of yogurt packaging is that the visual image of the packaging, packaging shape, material thickness, packaging size and completeness of the packaging label is still low, so it is considered that it does not meet customer needs. This research aims to identify a list of customer needs, a list of technical characteristics, directions of improvement, and the priority of technical characteristics of Yogurt product packaging. The research methodology uses the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) technique with the House of Quality (HOQ) matrix. The research generates 5 customer needs which were interpretated into 7 technical characteristics with directions for improvement, namely increased material thickness, fixed packaging volume size, reduced packaging length, reduced packaging width, reduced packaging height, improved visual image design, and increased label component completeness. The House of Quality produces a priority order of improvement, with the weight of importance of each technical characteristic, namely packaging length (90), packaging width (90), packaging height (90), packaging volume size (60), visual image size (60), completeness of label components (60), and thickness of packaging material (45).

Exploring Consumer and Producer Views of Verjuice: A Grape-Based Product Made from Viticultural Waste

The wine sector is actively working to add value, increase sustainability, and reduce waste streams. One great example is to use thinned grapes, that are usually left to rot, to make verjuice. As verjuice has no identity standard, there is a wide scope for producers to innovate. Decisions regarding sensory characteristics and packaging are currently made by the verjuice producers, mainly winegrowers and winemakers but also chefs, without fully understanding the needs and wants of consumers. Using discussion groups and interviews, this study explored both consumer and producer views towards commercial verjuice regarding perceived sensory characteristics, possible end-uses, packaging, and desirable label elements. Similarities and differences were discovered between consumer views and verjuice producer practices. Consumers reported a diverse range of attributes beyond the sourness and sweetness that was the focus of producers, indicating potential for a broader range of applications of verjuice than currently considered. Sweeter variants were generally preferred for drinking, while sourer ones were favoured for cooking, although exceptions to this trend existed across consumers. Additionally, a mismatch between producer packaging choices and consumer preferences was identified, highlighting potential for producers to optimise packaging to better cater to consumer needs. This research explored an opportunity to create verjuice with desirable sensory characteristics for specific end-uses, providing product diversification for the wine industry’s revenue stream. Uncovering these consumer insights is key to better inform promotion of verjuice by producers and the agrifood sector seeking to enhance the value of their by-products.

Sustainable PET Waste Recycling: Labels from PET Water Bottles Used as a Catalyst for the Chemical Recycling of the Same Bottles.

We report using a waste material, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) water bottle labels, for the chemical recycling of the same PET water bottles. The solid fillers used for the manufacturing of the packaging labels were recovered by thermolysis in an electrical furnace at 600, 800, and 1000 °C with 13.5, 12.0, and 10.4 wt % recovery. Characterization of the solid residue showed the presence of calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, and titanium dioxide, which are typical fillers used for packaging film manufacturing, such as water bottle labels. These solid residues were then used as a catalyst for PET depolymerization by glycolysis, in which the catalyst recovered from bottle labels and shredded PET reacted in the presence of excess ethylene glycol at 200 °C. The reaction mixtures were analyzed for PET conversion and the yield of the bis(2-hydroxyethyl)terephthalate (BHET) monomer as the final product of the glycolysis reaction to determine the efficiency of the catalyst. Our results show that the catalyst prepared at 800 °C (Cat-800) has the best performance and provides a 100% PET conversion with a 95.8% BHET yield with a 1.0 wt % loading in 1.5 h. The catalyst from the PET water bottle labels is nontoxic, readily available, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and can be used as a model for the self-sufficient chemical recycling of PET via glycolysis.