Plastic Packaging Materials Research Articles

Date Analysis Of Consumers’ Purchase Intention Based On The Safety Of Food Plastic Packaging Materialst

With the rapid development of food technology and the packaging industry, frequent food contact packaging safety issues. This paper uses questionnaire survey method to obtain related data and uses methods such as multivariate ordered Logistic model to explore the relationship between food packaging material safety and customers’ purchasing intention. It is found that consumers are short of knowledge about food packaging. Education level, food packaging safety knowledge, and perceived risk have a negative impact on consumers’ purchasing intention plastic packaging materials and food. And there is a positive correlation between health status and consumers’ purchasing intention of buying food with plastic packaging materials. We should strengthen the promotion of plastic packaging materials and food, strengthen the risk control of plastic packaging materials and food, and improve the safety management of plastic packaging materials and food.

Reinforcing effects of seaweed nanoparticles in agar-based biopolymer composite: Physical, water vapor barrier, mechanical, and biodegradable properties

In recent times, the indiscriminate disposal of post-consumer plastic packaging material has received global attention. There is a need to develop an alternative packaging material from bio-based polymers to reduce plastic waste pollution. This work studied the effects of loading seaweed nanoparticles into an agar matrix by analyzing the physical, mechanical, water vapor barrier, and biodegradation properties, as well as the surface morphological properties of biopolymer composite. The results showed that the addition of seaweed nanoparticles in the biopolymer matrix improved the properties of the agar-based biopolymer composite, except for the water vapor barrier properties of the biopolymer composite. The biopolymer composite film loaded with 6 w/w% seaweed nanoparticles appeared to achieve the highest mechanical strength. In addition, scanning electron microscopy analysis verified that the 6% w/w% seaweed nanoparticles biopolymer composite showed a homogenous surface morphology and had a strong adhesion on the interfaces of the filler and matrix. The samples had a desirable density of 0.0131 cm-1g-1 and a desirable biodegradability when 8 w/w% nanoparticles was used. This study verified that seaweed nanoparticles are compatible with agar matrix in terms of the enhancement of biopolymer composite properties.

Chitosan/Gelatin/Silver Nanoparticles Composites Films for Biodegradable Food Packaging Applications.

The food packaging industry explores economically viable, environmentally benign, and non-toxic packaging materials. Biopolymers, including chitosan (CH) and gelatin (GE), are considered a leading replacement for plastic packaging materials, with preferred packaging functionality and biodegradability. CH, GE, and different proportions of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used to prepare novel packaging materials using a simple solution casting method. The functional and morphological characterization of the prepared films was carried out by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Visible spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical strength, solubility, water vapor transmission rate, swelling behavior, moisture retention capability, and biodegradability of composite films were evaluated. The addition of AgNPs to the polymer blend matrix improves the physicochemical and biological functioning of the matrix. Due to the cross-linking motion of AgNPs, it is found that the swelling degree, moisture retention capability, and water vapor transmission rate slightly decrease. The tensile strength of pure CH–GE films was 24.4 ± 0.03, and it increased to 25.8 ± 0.05 MPa upon the addition of 0.0075% of AgNPs. The real-time application of the films was tested by evaluating the shelf-life existence of carrot pieces covered with the composite films. The composite film containing AgNPs becomes effective in lowering bacterial contamination while comparing the plastic polyethylene films. In principle, the synthesized composite films possessed all the ideal characteristics of packaging material and were considered biodegradable and biocompatible food packaging material and an alternate option for petroleum-based plastics.

Biodegradable packaging reinforced with plant-based food waste and by-products

• Adding PWBs into biopolymers can improve the properties of obtained packaging. • Approaches for pretreatments or fabrication can further improve packaging properties. • Gaps still exist between biodegradable and commercial plastic packaging materials. • Coordination among academia, industry and consumer is needed for future development. Use of plastic food packaging has long been debated due to its negative environmental impact. As a result of this, the need to develop sustainable and biodegradable packaging continuously grows, particularly that using plant-based materials. There is a potential to incorporate plant-based food waste or by-products (PWBs) as raw materials into biodegradable packaging for enhancement of packaging performance. While fabricating packaging with PWBs requires pretreating them for fully utilizing and maximizing their functions. Currently, such new materials are not comparable to existing commercial products, not only because of their cost-effectiveness but also due to the disconnections among researchers, manufacturers, and consumers. We provide a concise summary of the most recent advances, focusing on the approaches to using PWB components, the properties of reinforced materials, and their potential applications in biodegradable food packaging.

Research on the Application of Environmentally Friendly Packaging Materials in the Sustainable Development of Logistics

With the quickening of environmental pollution control in China, the concrete measures of “plastic limit” and “plastic ban” were put forward one after another. At the same time, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste will be formally revised and implemented in September 2020. This fully demonstrates the importance we attach to ecological protection and sustainable development of the environment and our determination to control environmental pollution. At present, with the popularization of e-commerce, the fragmentation of consumption, the penetration of online shopping in rural areas is getting bigger and bigger, and the express delivery industry is showing explosive growth. Especially under the epidemic, consumers’ consumption behaviors and consumption patterns have changed greatly. Network consumption behavior increased significantly, carton, plastic bags and other packaging products demand increased significantly. It consumes a lot of resources, such as paper and plastic products, and also produces a lot of packaging waste. Through the analysis and comparison of several disposable plastic packaging materials in green logistics, the importance of green packaging in green logistics is discussed, which has a strong inspiration for environmental protection and the development of green logistics.

Perspectives on sustainable food packaging:– is bio-based plastics a solution?

BackgroundThe demand for more sustainable packaging materials is increasing. However, the multidisciplinary and complexity of this topic often lead to misconceptions among food packaging designers and producers, which challenge the creation of more sustainable food packaging systems. Scope and approachThis manuscript presents in a holistic perspective the most relevant parameters that need to be considered for sustainability in food packaging and aims to increase the awareness of food and packaging producers to create effective sustainable packaging materials for foods. Key Findings and ConclusionsThe use of bio-based plastic packaging materials contribute to create more sustainable food packaging materials, comparatively to conventional plastic packaging materials, when looking at climate impact responses. Although bio-based plastic packaging materials have reduced climate impact, there are other environmental impacts (e.g. eutrophication, use of water and pesticides, effects on biodiversity) that are less favorable for using bio-based materials and should also be considered. Recycling of the packaging significantly contributes to reduce its environmental and climate impacts. The sum of the climate and environmental impacts of the packaging should be seen together with the food it protects. The combined system should be assessed in its entire lifecycle and optimized through the design, production and end of life of the packaging material to improve its sustainability.

BISPHENOL A DETECTION IN PACKAGED DRINKING WATER AND BEVERAGES USING HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

Background: Bisphenol A is characterized as an endocrine disruptor as it interferes with the synthesis of hormones and metabolism resulting in abnormality in the homeostatis of exposed persons. It is used in the production of polycarbonate and epoxy resins which are utilized in the preparation of almost all plastic packaging materials like plastic bottles, cans, food containers, and coating on food containers. Objective: To detect leaching of Bisphenol A in 15 samples of Bottled water and Beverages using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Methods: Liquid-liquid extraction technique was used for analytical detection of BPA from bottled drinking water and beverages. Results: BPA contamination in Bottled drinking water was calculated through mean concentration for a time period of 30 days as (0.38 ng/ml - 0 day), 8.86 ng/ml (5th day), 17.85 ng/ml (10th day), 30.35 ng/ml (20th day) and 44.48 ng/ml (30th day)). The mean concentration of BPA was observed to be 0.25 to 2.25 ng/ml. Also, the mean concentration of BPA at different temperatures was observed to be 5.96 ng/ml (at 40C), 5.62 ng/ml (at 200C) and 8.80 ng/ml (at 550C). The above results revealed presence of high concentration of BPA in all the samples of bottled drinking water and beverages. Conclusion: The results obtained in the above study depicted considerable amount of BPA leaching from bottled containers into drinking water and beverages. Prolong usage of bottled water and beverages should be avoided to reduce the risk of human exposure to BPA through leaching. Also, it was found that high temperatures resulted in increased BPA leaching.

Risk governance in the transition towards sustainability, the case of bio-based plastic food packaging materials

In the transition to a sustainable society, many new technologies and materials are developed. These often have disadvantages, examples thereof with a sustainability claim that entailed risks to public health are identified. Risk Governance should ideally address and deal with those potential risks. However, governance mechanisms to efficiently deal with these risks seem to be lacking. In this study, the Risk Governance in the lifecycle of three innovative bio-based plastic food contact materials (FCMs) were evaluated. Interviews were conducted with representatives of all stages in the lifecycle to identify risk management strategies to prevent or control public health risk. Experts were asked to share their views on the identified strategies. Nineteen different risk management strategies have been identified from the three case studies and compared with the principles of the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) framework and showed that less than 50% corresponded to those of the IRGC framework. In addition, eighteen randomly sampled bio-based FCMs were chemically analysed to get insight in the presence of potentially hazardous substances. The presence of hazardous chemicals in the bio-based FCMs provide indications of potential chemical health risks. Apparently, there is no structural application of risk governance in the three bio-based FCM studied. Strategies are applied to manage public health risks, but these are usually implemented too limited to effectively manage the identified risks.

Plastic Packaging Materials as Possible Source of Hazardous Chemicals to Food and human health: A Review

Plastic packaging has been implicated as a source of food packaging material (FPM) borne compounds transfer into food. These chemical migrants from packaging materials to food products are associated with human health risks. However, opinions on plastic packaging safety differ greatly and scientific agreement on product safety is still indefinable. The present review intends to explore and present the state of science about the safety of plastics, the potential for consumer exposure and discuss the major issues with respect to associated health risks safety.

Flows of post-consumer plastic packaging in Germany: An MFA-aided case study

This study aims at defining the current state-of-affairs of the German post-consumer plastic packaging (PCPP) sector. By the use of the Material Flow Analysis (MFA) tool, a comprehensive investigation of the currently available PCPP waste collection and treatment system is conducted, which enables understanding the intrinsic inefficiencies of the waste value chain. The analysis utilises primary data (by conducting manual sorting activities) as well as secondary data (literature-based). Sorting has been performed taking into consideration the plastic packaging applications and material composition, polymer types, and moisture and dirt.Results show that the per capita generation of PCPP waste is 26.3 kg ± 3.0% in the year 2017 in Germany. The separate collection efficiency is 74.8% ± 2.9%, considering all separate collection systems (i.e. deposit system for PET bottles and Dual System). The study confirms that most of the material losses occur at the sorting stage mostly as a result of the complex packaging designs, where a combination of different materials is common practise. Overall, the net material recycling rate is 26.4% ± 1.3%, calculated on the basis of the net generated waste and excluding the potential recycling of the mixed polyolefin stream. If recycled material from mixed polyolefins is included, this figure increases to 37.8% ± 2.0%.The maximisation of the PCPP re-circulation potential requires collaborative policies addressing all the stakeholders in the value chain, starting from producers (product design), followed by the consumer (responsible and correct disposal), then the sorting facilities (by utilising state-of-the-art technologies and targeted sorting).

Effects of Compostable Packaging and Perforation Rates on Cucumber Quality during Extended Shelf Life and Simulated Farm-to-Fork Supply-Chain Conditions.

Cucumbers are highly perishable and suffer from moisture loss, shriveling, yellowing, peel damage, and decay. Plastic packaging helps to preserve cucumber quality, but harms the environment. We examined the use of compostable modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with different perforation rates as a possible replacement for conventional plastic packaging materials. The results indicate that all of the tested types of packaging reduced cucumber weight loss and shriveling. However, compostable MAP with micro-perforations that created a modified atmosphere of between 16–18% O2 and 3–5% CO2 most effectively preserved cucumber quality, as demonstrated by reduced peel pitting, the reduced appearance of warts and the inhibition of yellowing and decay development. Overall, micro-perforated compostable packaging extended the storage life of cucumbers under both extended shelf conditions and simulated farm-to-fork supply-chain conditions and thus may serve as a replacement for the plastic packaging currently used to preserve the postharvest quality of cucumbers.

Biodegradable Cellulose Film Prepared From Banana Pseudo-Stem Using an Ionic Liquid for Mango Preservation.

The excessive use and disposal of plastic packaging materials have drawn increasing concerns from the society because of the detrimental effect on environment and ecosystems. As the most widely used fruit packing material, polyethylene (PE) film is not suitable for long-term preservation of some tropical fruits, such as mangos, due to its inferior gas permeability. Cellulose based film can be made from renewable resources and is biodegradable and environmental-friendly, which makes it a promising alternative to PE as a packaging material. In this study, cellulose film synthesized from delignified banana stem fibers via an ionic liquid 1-Allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIm][Cl]) were evaluated as packing material for mangos preservation. The moisture vapor transmission rate and gas transmission rate of the synthesized cellulose film were 1,969.1 g/(m2⋅24 h) and 10,015.4 ml/(m2⋅24 h), respectively, which are significantly higher than those of commercial PE films. The high permeability is beneficial to the release of ethylene so that contribute to extend fruit ripening period. As a result, cellulose film packaging significantly decreased the disease and color indexes of mangos, while prolonged the storage and shelf life of marketable fruits. In addition, the cellulose film was decomposed in soils in 4 weeks, indicating an excellent biodegradability as compared to the PE plastic film.

Development and properties of bacterial cellulose, curcumin, and chitosan composite biodegradable films for active packaging materials

To deal with serious environmental damage resulting from plastic packaging materials, biodegradable films using natural products have gained considerable attention. Here, we provide a simple, fast, and environmentally-friendly route to construct a biodegradable film using chitosan (CS), bacterial cellulose (BC), and curcumin (Cur). Composite films (CSn-BC-Cur) using CS with different molecular weights were investigated, and their water moisture content (MC), water solubility (WS), contact angle (CA), mechanical properties, barrier properties, and antioxidant properties were compared. The obtained films were characterized by SEM, XRD, and TGA. The results showed that chitosan with a higher molecular weight presented higher contact angles and mechanical properties, along with a lower moisture content, water vapor transmission rate, and oxygen transmission rate. Furthermore, when the composite film was placed in 95 % ethanol, it released active substances. The results suggest that these composite films can be used as promising materials for food packaging.

Poly(1,4-butylene -co-1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) copolyester: Potential bio-based engineering plastic

Poly(1,4-butylene-co-1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBCFs) was synthesized from bio-based 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM). The GPC showed that the number average molecular weight (Mn) of PBCFs were in the range of 38400–44200 g/mol and the average molecular weight (Mw) varied from 83,000 to 94,800 g/mol with the polydispersity index of 2.22–2.33. The chemical structures, compositions and sequence distributions of PBCFs were confirmed by 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Their thermal properties and crystallization behavior were investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Results showed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) of poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF) were increased from 38 and 171.8 °C to 65.8 and 211.7 °C for PBCF-68, respectively. Furthermore, the strength and modulus were increased from 44 and 950 MPa for PBF to 69 and 1360 MPa for PBCF-68 with the mole percentage of CHDM units of 68% in diol units. PBCFs demonstrated much better thermo-mechanical properties when compared with those of PBF, which might be used as the bio-based engineering plastic or excellent packaging materials with high transparency and good gas barrier properties.

Research on the Reduction Design of Fragile Product Cushion Packaging under the Green Development Concept

This article aims to study the reduction design of fragile buffer packaging under the concept of green development. Through the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of existing cushioning packaging materials, in view of the current situation that corrugated paper cushioning packaging uses a lot of materials, and the cumbersome molding has led to the wide application of plastic packaging materials, the design principle of fragile cushioning packaging under the green development concept is proposed. Taking glass cups as the design object and corrugated paper as packaging materials, three different prototype glass buffer packagings were designed. The reduced-quantity design of corrugated cardboard buffer packaging provides a solution for replacing plastic with paper. From an environmental and economic point of view, reduced-quantity buffer packaging is feasible.

Functional properties of starch-chitosan blend bionanocomposite films for food packaging: the influence of amylose-amylopectin ratios.

The present study is focused on the influence of amylose and amylopectin ratio on crystallinity, water barrier, mechanical, morphological and anti-fungal properties of starch-based bionanocomposite films. The different sources of starch containing various proportion of amylose and amylopectin (high amylose corn starch, 70:30; corn starch, 28:72; wheat starch, 25:75; and potato starch, 20:80) has been incorporated with chitosan (CH) and nanoclay (Na-MMT). Amylose and amylopectin ratio has regulated the orientation of molecular structure in the starch-based films. Experimental results have revealed that the prepared bionanocomposite films that of CS/CH/nanoclay has exhibited higher crystallinity and molecular miscibility among corn starch, with chitosan and nanoclay were confirmed by XRD. CS/CH/nanoclay has exhibited lowest water vapor permeability and highest tensile strength due to molecular space present in corn starch. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has confirmed the shift of amine peak to a higher wavenumber indicating a stronger hydrogen bond between starch and chitosan. Finally, the best bionanocomposite films were tested for food packaging applications. Low-density polyethylene has exhibited fungal growth on 5th day when packed with bread slices at 25°C and 59% RH whereas CS/CH/nanoclay bionanocomposite film did not show the same for at least 20days. CS/CH/nanoclay film could potentially be useful for active packaging in extending shelf life; maintaining its quality and safety of food products thus substituting synthetic plastic packaging materials.

Recycling of multilayer plastic packaging materials by solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation.

Many plastic packaging materials manufactured today are composites made of distinct polymer layers (i.e., multilayer films). Billions of pounds of these multilayer films are produced annually, but manufacturing inefficiencies result in large, corresponding postindustrial waste streams. Although relatively clean (as opposed to municipal wastes) and of near-constant composition, no commercially practiced technologies exist to fully deconstruct postindustrial multilayer film wastes into pure, recyclable polymers. Here, we demonstrate a unique strategy we call solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation (STRAP) to deconstruct multilayer films into their constituent resins using a series of solvent washes that are guided by thermodynamic calculations of polymer solubility. We show that the STRAP process is able to separate three representative polymers (polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol, and polyethylene terephthalate) from a commercially available multilayer film with nearly 100% material efficiency, affording recyclable resins that are cost-competitive with the corresponding virgin materials.

Re-Processing of Multilayer Plastic Materials as a Part of the Recycling Process: The Features of Processed Multilayer Materials.

The weight of packaging materials will be increased with advanced innovations, such as multilayer plastic. The consequence of the advanced innovations is challenges in the following reuse activities. This study aimed to investigate the properties of multilayer plastic materials after recycling processes and will increase the awareness of plastic packaging material for reuse options. In this research, the materials were produced from food packages by crushing them and treating them with injection molding equipment. The implementation of materials in the processing was tested, and the structural and mechanical characteristics of the produced plastic materials was evaluated and discussed. Based on the completed tests, plastic materials used in food packages have the clearest differences in the material features, for instance, the melt flow rate and elongation rate in the tensile test that varied between 2.96–48.4 g/10min and 2–289%, respectively. The variation in the characterizations ranged widely between the material structures. The results indicate that solid plastic packaging materials have better mechanical features compared to foil materials. The structural analysis of materials showed that multilayer plastic includes a wide spectrum of different elements within materials, creating a challenge for future recycling.

Chemical food safety of using former foodstuffs for rearing black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) for feed and food use

Black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) larvae is considered one of the insect species with great potential for large-scale production as feed and food. For this to become economically feasible and to contribute to a circular economy, BSF larvae should be reared on substrates with little or no alternative use for feed and food production. One such class of alternative substrate sources consists of former food products. However, BSF larvae may accumulate chemical contaminants from the substrate, which may originate from the foodstuff and/or the packaging materials. This study aimed to investigate the possible presence of chemical contaminants in BSF larvae being reared on former foodstuff substrates at both laboratory and industrial scale. Four experimental treatments were set up: with meat or vegetarian, and containing between 3-6% of either plastic or paperboard carton packaging material. Four-day old BSF larvae were reared for seven days on these substrates. Concentrations of heavy metals, mineral oil hydrocarbons, dioxins and PCBs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were determined in the substrate, residual material, and the larvae. Results suggest that BSF larvae can be reared on former food products containing traces of packaging materials, without negative effects on their growth or survival. Bio-accumulation was observed for most of the tested contaminants, in particular for mineral oils and cadmium, which had a bio-accumulation rate of, respectively, about five and 20. However, none of the concentrations of the analysed contaminants in the substrate and the larvae exceeded the respective legal limits in the EU. Results of this pilot study were promising. As a next step, more different former food products should be investigated in future research.

Recycling of multilayer plastic packaging materials by solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation

Recycling of multilayer plastic packaging materials by solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation