Package Research Articles

Chemical Migration of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Other Compounds from Plastic Food Packaging: Assessment of Food Safety Risks and Health Impacts

The potential migration of chemical compounds from plastic food packaging poses significant health risks, necessitating continuous monitoring and enhanced safety protocols. This study aimed to investigate the migration of nine chemical groups, including alanine, acetic acid, cyano derivatives, urea, amines, amides, benzene derivatives, nitrites, and non-specified compounds, across different food categories. A total of 195 packaged food samples from eleven food categories were analyzed using Headspace Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify and quantify chemical migrants. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in migration levels among food categories (p < 0.05). Cheese, candies, and chips exhibited the highest concentrations of alanine (65.95 ± 0.6384 mg/kg), acetic acid (57.80 ± 0.6383 mg/kg), and benzene derivatives (59.96 ± 1.844 mg/kg), respectively, while frozen raw meat and seafood showed the lowest levels for most compounds. High benzene and nitrite concentrations in certain samples raised particular concern due to their carcinogenic and toxicological effects. Regression analysis confirmed that food matrix type is a strong predictor of migration levels for several compounds. The findings emphasize the urgent need for stricter regulation, improved analytical techniques, and the development of safer packaging materials to reduce chemical migration risks and protect public health.

Harnessing the multifaceted benefits of probiotics: A sustainable strategy to combat the post-harvest diseases inciting perishable products

Post-harvest management plays a vital role in agricultural food chains, especially in developing countries, as it focuses on maintaining the quality and shelf life of the produce while minimizing losses. Post-harvest loss (PHL) refers to reducing food quantity and quality from harvest until it reaches consumers. Among the various factors contributing to PHL, the losses due to disease are detrimental. They lead to spoilage through symp- toms such as rotting and the production of harmful toxins. Due to its perishable nature, fruit and vegetables are most vulnerable to various post- harvest pathogens. Chemical fungicides are commonly used to manage post-harvest diseases, but they pose risks of environmental pollution, consumer health concerns and pesticide resistance by pathogens. To overcome the negative impact resulting from the use of chemical compounds, there is an urgent need to develop alternate control measures for protecting perish- able produce and human health. Recently, beneficial organisms have gained a significant role in managing these diseases, with probiotic bacteria and yeast as key organisms. They help to maintain the quality of fresh produce by protecting it from harmful pathogens through rapid colonization, competition for space and nutrients, creation of an acidic environment, activation of defence mechanisms and production of antimicrobial compounds such as cell wall-degrading enzymes, bacteriocins and volatile organic compounds. Probiotic-based treatments were applied through edible coatings, sprays, or incorporated into packaging materials as natural and safe ways to extend the shelf life of perishable goods. This review prioritized compiling research findings employing the mechanism of probiotics in disease management and its utilization for managing post-harvest diseases.

Preparation and Improved Properties of Vanillin-Crosslinked Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Active Packaging Films

Using chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as substrates, active packaging composite (VPC) films based on vanillin-crosslinked PVA/chitosan with different concentrations of added vanillin were prepared and characterized. The results show that the VPC films exhibited higher tightness and hydrophobicity, lower water content and water vapor permeability, as well as better UV resistance. The potential interactions between the film groups were analyzed by SEM, FTIR, and XRD, and the results showed that the formation of Schiff base and hydrogen bond interactions affected the properties of the films. The VPC films also showed excellent antioxidant activity. Therefore, vanillin-crosslinked PVA/chitosan active films have broader application prospects as packaging materials for food preservation.

Meningkatkan Inklusi Sosial dan Keberlanjutan UMK di Kabupaten Tanggamus, Provinsi Lampung melalui Pelatihan Sertifikasi Halal

The development of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) is a key strategy for enhancing social inclusion and economic sustainability at the local level. Capacity building and the obligation for halal certification among MSEs require support from various stakeholders, including the academia. This community service activity aims to improve social inclusion and business sustainability of MSEs in Talang Padang District, Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province, through halal certification training. Community service was conducted in three main stages: coordination and socialization, halal certification training, and monitoring and evaluation, along with participant mentoring. A total of 18 participants attended the training, with 83.33% showing an increase in knowledge about the halal concept and the process for obtaining halal certification. The evaluation results showed that 61.11% of the participants successfully obtained halal certification and incorporated the halal logo on their product packaging. The implementation of this halal certification training is expected to make a significant contribution to improving the social inclusion and business sustainability of MSEs in the region.

Pigment removal from reverse-printed laminated flexible films by solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation.

The solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation (STRAP) process separates and recovers the constituent resins in multilayer plastic packaging films by selective polymer dissolution. In this work, the cause of coloring in the STRAP-recycled polyethylene (PE) resins from postindustrial printed films was identified as decomposed diarylide pigments. Two different approaches are needed to completely remove the dissolved colorants during the STRAP process including (i) adding an activated carbon (AC) adsorbent to the solvent after polymer dissolution and (ii) proper mechanical filtration of the polymer-solvent cake to remove as much solvent from the cake as possible. Colorless recycled PE can be produced by a combination of the proposed approaches (choosing the proper solvent, adding an AC adsorbent, and doing proper mechanical filtration) with minimal accumulation of colorants in the recycled STRAP solvents. This study demonstrated that high-quality STRAP low-density PE can be obtained from printed plastic films, enhancing the potential circularity of these packaging materials.

Green Cosmetics—The Effects of Package Design on Consumers’ Willingness-to-Pay and Sustainability Perceptions

Green Cosmetics—The Effects of Package Design on Consumers’ Willingness-to-Pay and Sustainability Perceptions

Functional modification of edible film based on egg white protein and its application in food preservation: A review.

Functional modification of edible film based on egg white protein and its application in food preservation: A review.

Recent Research Progress of Polysaccharide Polymer Coatings for Improving Properties of Paper-Based Packaging Materials

With the increasing attention paid to environmental pollution, paper-based packaging materials have gradually gained favor among people. Paper-based materials are very environmentally friendly and renewable packaging materials. However, the mechanical properties and hydrophobicity of paper-based packaging materials are relatively poor, and they have high requirements for the usage environment and occasions. Therefore, the application of paper-based materials as packaging materials is greatly limited. Polysaccharide polymers, as coatings, have good biocompatibility and are environmentally friendly. They have certain potential in improving the hydrophobicity and mechanical properties of packaging materials. This review article introduces the four kinds of most used polysaccharide polymers, elaborates on their characteristics, and discusses their advantages in enhancing the performance of paper-based packaging materials. It also explores methods such as chemical modification to improve the hydrophobicity of polysaccharide polymers as coatings. Finally, this review discusses the combination of polysaccharide polymer coatings with paper-based packaging materials and provides prospects for the future.

Determinants of Bottled Water Prices in Saudi Arabia: An Application of the Hedonic Price Model

This study investigates the determinants of bottled water prices in Saudi Arabia using a hedonic price model, analyzing data collected from nine retail stores in Al-Ahsa Governorate. The analysis of 499 observations reveals that physical attributes, such as bottle size, packaging material (glass and aluminum), non-standard caps, and packaging type (multipack and box), significantly influence the price. Specifically, larger bottles, multipacks, and boxes are associated with lower per-liter prices, while glass and aluminum packaging and non-standard caps command higher prices. Chemical characteristics of bottled water, including total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium, and pH, have a minimal impact, and in some cases, they exhibit a negative influence on prices. Crucially, market dynamics, including the source of origin (imported vs. domestic) and the type of retail store, impact prices significantly. Imported bottled water is priced higher than domestically produced varieties, while products sold in hypermarkets are cheaper than those in other retail stores. Moreover, when analyzing domestic and imported bottled water separately, physical characteristics lose their statistical significance for imported products, and chemical characteristics become irrelevant for domestically produced bottled water. The study highlights the complex interplay of product characteristics and market factors shaping bottled water prices, providing insights for both the bottled water industry and policymakers.

Adaptive Redistribution Layer Routing for Chiplet-Package Co-Design in 2.5D System

2.5D packaging has become a popular alternative to integrate advanced logic and memory chiplets for high-performance computing and artificial intelligence systems. In the conventional design flow, chiplets and packages are independently designed and then integrated at the assembly stage. To bridge the gap between chiplet designs and package designs, existing chiplet-package co-design methods iteratively optimize chiplet layouts to improve the performance of the entire system. However, Redistribution Layer (RDL) routing, which finishes the interconnections between chiplets at the package level and significantly affects the system performance, is neglected in the existing co-design flows. Therefore, this paper proposes an effective chiplet-package co-design flow focusing on the RDL routing to optimize the package system performance dynamically. The proposed co-design flow can fill in the missing link, package-level co-optimization, of previous design flows. In the proposed co-design flow, we propose an efficient RDL routing algorithm to iteratively optimize the substrate layout based on the cross-boundary timing context extracted from both chiplets and the package. The proposed RDL routing algorithm has two critical techniques, including 1) a Maximal Independent Set-based (MIS-based) pin assignment method to dynamically optimize the pin positions of nets and 2) a network-flow-based router to generate routing layouts. Experimental results show that the proposed design flow can gradually improve the maximum frequency of a real design to the target performance, 400 MHz.

OCCURRENCE OF SHRINKFLATION IN THE POLISH FOOD MARKET FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CONSUMERS

. The aim of the study was to identify the occurrence of shrinkflation in the Polish food market and its perception by consumers. Data collected from 300 consumers using a diagnostic survey method were subjected to simple statistical analysis. It was confirmed that especially during periods of high inflation, during crises, producers reduced product packaging, while maintaining the price at the same or higher level. The results of consumer preference studies indicated similar observations to those presented in foreign literature. It was noted that this phenomenon is most often noticeable in the case of sweets, juices and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as dairy products. When shopping for food, respondents pay more attention to the price of products, which means that they notice an increase in the price of food goods more quickly than a reduction in weight. The impact of reducing the packaging of food products on further consumer decisions about their purchase depends on many factors, such as: their price, the price of substitutes and the type of a given good. However, regardless of place of residence and gender, respondents prefer that producers increase the price of goods without reducing their weight. In order not to mislead consumers, it is recommended that actions described as shrinkflation be accompanied by clear labeling of the product that has been shrunk.

Eco-Friendly Design for Sustainable Gift Packaging

Modern packaging must be efficient, safe, and attractively designed, while also minimizing unnecessary waste. Eco-design principles, such as material reduction, reusability, and minimal environmental impact, were central to this study. We applied these principles to the development of innovative, multipurpose gift packaging and labels, optimizing material use, eliminating unnecessary printing, and integrating sustainable features such as a structural design which requires no gluing. Alongside choosing eco-friendly materials, namely corrugated cardboard and a biodegradable paper label, eco-design guidelines in packaging and label creation were followed. Packaging of unconventional shape without printing and different versions of labels for bottles and packaging were designed. Graphic elements included on the labels are the logo, illustration, 18th Century font, and lines of varying thicknesses. To provide additional information and enhance product appeal while reducing printing, an interactive element was incorporated. In the conducted study, the respondents of a survey and focus groups evaluated the quality, price range, and visual appeal of packaging and labels. For the augmented reality application, a label with a QR code was created. A scenario and a visual story board were created, and an animation activated via the QR code was produced. The usage experience was tested by the focus groups, who provided feedback on the animation and the overall experience. This iterative process ensured that the packaging and labels met both functional and experiential expectations.

Implementation of Industry 4.0 RFID Technology for Sustainable Packaging Solutions

The adoption of Industry 4.0 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology in packaging has revolutionized supply chain operations by enabling real-time marking, tracking, and tracing of materials. This paper explores the role of RFID technology in enhancing packaging sustainability through the reusability of pallets, boxes, bins, and containers, significantly reducing environmental impact and carbon emissions. By providing unique digital identities to packaging materials, RFID technology ensures seamless monitoring, improves inventory management, prevents counterfeiting, and enhances security measures. This paper discusses the different types of RFID tags—passive, active, semi-passive, and Near Field Communication (NFC) tags—and their specific applications in packaging [1]. It also examines the role of RFID readers in supply chain visibility, enabling automated data collection and reducing operational inefficiencies. The benefits of RFID technology, including enhanced supply chain collaboration, improved customer service, and cost savings, are analyzed alongside challenges such as implementation costs, system integration, and data privacy concerns. Despite these challenges, RFID technology presents a transformative opportunity for industries to optimize packaging processes, promote sustainability, and achieve operational excellence. By leveraging RFID-driven automation, businesses can enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and drive long-term value in supply chain management [5].

Shelf life prediction of gluten-free bread formulated with quinoa flour: comparison of packaging materials using mathematical modeling and survival analysis

Shelf life prediction of gluten-free bread formulated with quinoa flour: comparison of packaging materials using mathematical modeling and survival analysis

Machine learning-assisted wearable sensing systems for speech recognition and interaction

The human voice stands out for its rich information transmission capabilities. However, voice communication is susceptible to interference from noisy environments and obstacles. Here, we propose a wearable wireless flexible skin-attached acoustic sensor (SAAS) capable of capturing the vibrations of vocal organs and skin movements, thereby enabling voice recognition and human-machine interaction (HMI) in harsh acoustic environments. This system utilizes a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUT), which feature high sensitivity (-198 dB), wide bandwidth (10 Hz-20 kHz), and excellent flatness (±0.5 dB). Flexible packaging enhances comfort and adaptability during wear, while integration with the Residual Network (ResNet) architecture significantly improves the classification of laryngeal speech features, achieving an accuracy exceeding 96%. Furthermore, we also demonstrated SAAS’s data collection and intelligent classification capabilities in multiple HMI scenarios. Finally, the speech recognition system was able to recognize everyday sentences spoken by participants with an accuracy of 99.8% through a deep learning model. With advantages including a simple fabrication process, stable performance, easy integration, and low cost, SAAS presents a compelling solution for applications in voice control, HMI, and wearable electronics.

Brands in Transition: Balancing Brand Differentiation and Standardization in Sustainable Packaging

In the changing field of sustainable packaging, companies are confronted with the challenge of balancing sustainability with brand differentiation. The move toward standardized, reusable packaging is beneficial for the environment but restricts the use of custom designs. This study explores how standardized, reusable packaging affects consumer perception in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. It focuses on the evolving role of brands to maintain brand differentiation. This research is centered around two case studies. The first examines 219 tomato products to understand the factors driving packaging diversity. Data was collected from three Dutch supermarket websites to analyze packaging types, materials, and size. The second case study investigates consumer responses to single-use versus standardized reusable packaging across eight brands in both food and non-food categories. An online survey was used to assess perceived quality (PQ), willingness to buy (WTB), and brand perception. The results indicate that standardization has a limited effect on perceived quality (the impression of excellence that a consumer experiences), suggesting that it may encourage more brands to adopt reusable packaging. Willingness to buy findings, indicating whether consumers have the intention to buy a product, were mixed. A decrease was observed in food products and an increase noted in non-food. Brand perception most often showed a decrease, indicating challenges in maintaining brand differentiation. Three strategic approaches for brands to align with a sustainability-driven market while preserving value are presented. These are focusing on visual and verbal differentiation, collaborating with competitors to adopt a common archetypal packaging, or shifting marketing away from physical packaging towards digital and authentic communication. However, the new role of marketers will need further exploration, with a focus on authentically communicating the real content and its added value.

Insight Into the Recent Advances in the Development of Antimicrobial Edible Films for Food Packaging

ABSTRACTFood packaging plays a crucial role in preserving food and extending shelf life. Traditionally, packaging materials have been derived from petroleum‐based polymers. However, growing concerns regarding the environmental impact and health risks of synthetic materials have underscored the need for sustainable, biodegradable and renewable alternatives. Edible films, made from naturally sourced biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins, offer a promising solution to replace synthetic plastics. Extensive research has been conducted to explore the full potential of edible films, particularly focusing on their integration with bioactive polymers and essential oils as antimicrobial agents. This review synthesizes the findings of previous studies, examining the properties, applications and benefits of these bioactive films in food packaging. It further discusses the antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils, their role in enhancing the functionality of edible films and the future challenges and prospects of this emerging field. This article aims to provide valuable insights for researchers working on the development of sustainable food packaging solutions.

Prediction of the packaging chemical migration into food and water by cutting-edge machine learning techniques.

Chemicals transfer from the packaging materials and their dissolution in food and water can create health risks. Due to the costly and time-intensive nature of experimental measurements, employing artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies is beneficial. This research uses five renowned AI-based techniques (namely, long short-term memory, gradient boosting regressor, multi-layer perceptron, Random Forest, and convolutional neural networks) to anticipate chemical migration from packaging materials to the food/water structure, considering variables such as temperature, chemical characteristics, and packaging/food types. The relevance analysis has been employed for monitoring the way that these explanatory variables impact the chemical migration from packaging materials into foods and water. Optimizing the hyperparameters, evaluating the prediction accuracy, and comparing the performance of these AI models reveal that the gradient boosting regressor (GBR) is the superior method for this simulation. The proposed GBR model accurately predicts 1847 experimental datasets, showcasing mean squared error, mean absolute error, root mean squared error, relative absolute error percent, and regressing coefficient, of 0.06, 0.15, 0.24, 6.46%, and 0.9961 respectively. Additionally, implementing a leverage algorithm for outlier detection further affirms the reliability of this modeling study.

From East to West: a sentiment-based framework for understanding Muslim consumer preferences in imported food products

Purpose This study’s purpose was to explore the motives behind the purchase of Western imported food products from three metropolitan cities in Pakistan. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) enriches our understanding of consumption. This study expands the TPB framework by integrating religiosity, country of origin, quality consciousness and halal certification as critical factors that shape consumers’ buying decisions in a Muslim-majority country. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative analysis comprises three metropolitan cities: Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 45 participants, and a purposive sampling technique was used. The data was collected specifically from housewives, university students and professionals and analyzed using thematic content analysis to explore the themes, followed by sentiment analysis to gauge and capture the emotional tone of the respondents. Findings The results unveiled not only significant regional variations but also a few surprising similarities. The participants’ keen interest in product packaging, attributes, labeling, country of origin and influence of reference groups for their purchase decision was a common thread. The element of religiosity, a significant factor in a Muslim-majority country, was also evident within a cross-city variation, adding an intriguing layer to the findings. Originality/value This study is a pioneering effort that offers Western exporters a unique perspective on the Asian consumer market. The insights it provides are not just useful, but they also confirms the originality of this research. By offering a comprehensive view of Muslim consumers’ preferences when choosing Western imported food products, this paper stands out for its originality. The diverse consumer perception from a Muslim-majority state signifies the unique contribution of this study and the theoretical and practical implications it holds for marketers and researchers.

Recent advances in gellan gum-based films and its application in sustainable food packaging: a review.

The significance of food packaging in facilitating food preservation and storage cannot be overstated. However, the prevalent use of petroleum-based plastic packaging has raised environmental concerns, necessitating the exploration of alternative biopolymer materials. Among these alternatives, polysaccharides stand out, including gellan gum. Gellan gum finds extensive application across various sectors, significantly, gellan gum exhibits potential as a material for food packaging. However, the mechanical and barrier properties of pure gellan gum films still have defects. These attributes can be improved through the incorporation of various components, including other polysaccharides, proteins, plant extracts, and nanoparticles. This study offers a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the preparation and utilization of gellan gum-based materials for food packaging, focusing particularly on the characterization of diverse composite films containing gellan gum. Furthermore, the review outlines practical applications of cemented-cryogel-based composite films and edible coatings in enhancing food preservation.