Effects of food packaging materials on the environment

Introduction

As the market for value–added, minimally processed, pre-packaged food grows, manufactures find different ways to effectively package these oxygen, moisture, aroma and time-sensitive products. While there are many packaging methods to extend a food products life, the main objective is clear to retard microbial spoilage and provide the freshest, safest products possible to consumers.

The most common of them all is the modified atmosphere packaging which uses the insertion of a mixture of gases including oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen into a package to preserve food. Dr. Aaron Brody, Managing Director of industry consultancy Rubbright stated that it is not simple single technology, it is multiple technology integrated together establishing obstacles for micro-organisms to grow. These obstacles can be combination of temperature control, P^H control, water activity control and atmospheric control all in concert with each other. Thaler stated that the focus on food packaging by food companies should be on quality of the product before the length of it shelf life. Food companies should strive to see how much of the original flavour and quality can be retained by the time the consumers eat the food product and not strive on how long it’s shelf life should be. He went on that it is not a question of how long does it last before it’s thrown away but a question of how well customers are satisfied and how must it retains its original quality (Food Engineering, 2003).

Food packaging is the containerization of food materials either raw or processed in other to achieve its function or characteristics (Afe, 2016). Food packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products.

History of food packaging materials

Packaging has begun with natural material such as leaves. Serial production was later done with product such as weaved material and pots it is estimated that glasses and wood packaging are being used for around 5000 years. In 1823 Englishman peter Durand obtained the patent for the first metal packaging made from sheet metal “canister”. Double stitched three pieces “can” begun to be used in 1900. Paper and cardboard have became important packaging materials in 1900s, with the invention of plastic it started replacing paper as a packaging material. The growth in plastic packaging has speed up since 1970s, with today’s technology and conditions, these previous materials have been replaced by more suitable and economic material such as glass, metal, plastic, paper and cardboard.

During those years packaging was used only for transport and storage, but with these new materials it has also begun to advertise the product.

Glass

A few decades ago, glass was indisputably the packaging material for most foods. Even though may still be the case today, a keener competition now exist between glass and other packaging materials. Glass is formed by the fusion of inorganic oxide which are then cooled to rigid non-crystalline condition. Glass containers are popular for food packaging for a number of reasons: they are inert, generally transparent, adaptable to high speed internally pressures and vertical loads and deformation can only occur destructively.

Metal

Since ancient times metal packaging seen in forms of gold and silver boxes as well as strong alloys and covering is today being used to protect many products. The production of tin-sheet was invented in Bohemia in 1200 A.C

Afterwards in the beginning of the 14^th century tinned food cans have started to be used. The idea of putting food safely in metal packaging was first had in 1809 when Napoleon Bonaparte said he would award 12 thousand franks to whomever that comes up with a method to protect the army’s food supply.

Nikolas Appert from Paris presented that tinned can pressed with stannic has an ability to preserve food after it has been sterilized. Metal packaging that has passed through many phase and has renewed itself now offers convenience for practicality

Plastic

Plastic is the newest form of packaging. First artificial plastic was prepared by Alexander parker in 1838 and was displayed at the Grand international fair in London in 1862. The plastic was intended to replace natural materials such as ivory. In 1849 Charles Goodyear and Thomas Hancock developed a procedure that destroyed the sticky property and added elasticity to natural rubber.

Paper

Paper is the oldest re-shapeable packaging material, mulberry tree barks were used in china in the 1^st and 2^nd centuries B. C to wrap food, and paper improved during the following 1500 years and transported to the Middle East.

Paper making techniques have reached Europe and from Europe they reached England in 1310 and America in 1609. The first commercial card box was produced in England in 1817, 200 years after china and corrugated cardboard was invented in 1850s, replacing wooden boxes in trade. The 20^th century was the brightest era for paper and cardboard.

Types of food packaging

• Primary food packaging
• Secondary food packaging
• Tertiary food packaging

Primary food packaging is the main package that holds the food that is being processed. e.g. (cereal mix inside plastic bag)

Secondary food packaging combines the primary packages into one box being made e.g. (cereal mix box)

Tertiary food packaging combines all of the secondary packages into one pallets .e.g. (case of cereal mix boxes)

Characteristics of food packaging materials

The characteristic of food packaging material are to contain, to protect, to communicate and to market the product.

• To contain produce:
• As an efficient handing unit, easy to be handled by one person.
• As a marketable unit e.g. with the same content and weight
• To protect produce against:
• Fumigation possible through ventilation holes
• Moisture or water loss with consequent weight and appearance loss.
• To communicate:
• Identification: A label with country of origin, volume, type or variety of product etc.
• Marketing, advertising : Recognizable trade name and trade mark
• To market the product:
• Proper packaging will lead to reduced injuries of fruit and vegetable.
• Labels and slot facilitate inspection

Roles of food packaging materials

The principle roles of food packaging materials are to protect food products from outside influences and damage, to contain the food, and to provide consumers with ingredient and nutritional information      (Cole, 2003)

Functions of food packaging materials

1. To protect a products from damage or contamination by micro-organisms and air, moisture and toxins. The product must be protected against being dropped, crushed, and the vibration it suffers during transportation. The product must also be protected against the climate including high temperatures, humidity, light and gases in the air.
2. To keep the product together, so it does not spill.

Some shapes cannot be easily packaged, for example, certain vegetable. Some product such as fruit juices and sausages need to be contained in packages that holds them together and are sealed to prevent spoilage and loss.

3. To identify the product

Food packaging is the main way products are advertised and indentified. To the manufacturer the package clearly identifies the product inside and it is usually the package that customer recognizes when shopping. The package will also contain important information include ingredients, nutritional information and “sell by date”.

4. Protection during transport and ease of transport;

A package should be designed to make it easy to transport, and lift.

Effects of food packaging materials on the environment

The effect of food packaging material on the environment includes:

• Littering
• Health effect
• Pollution effect

Littering

Littering simply means throwing away objects on the ground or leaving them lying on the ground instead of disposing them at garbage can, recycle bin or trash container.

Effects of littering

1. Litter looks bad, it negatively affects the image of places, especially the appearance of communities.
2. Litter attracts litter, littering sends out a message that people do not care about their surrounding and it is acceptable to litter.
3. Litter can be a fire hazard. Accumulated litter and careless discarded cigarette butts are potential fire hazard.

Health effects

1. Accumulated litter breed mosquitoes and in turn causes malaria parasite.
2. Litter is a threat to public health. It attracts vermin (insects and pests) and is a breeding ground for bacteria.
3. Peoples who live in areas where there high levels of litter are more likely to be less physically active and therefore more likely to be overweight and obese. This brings with it all the associated health risks including diabetes mellitus, heart attacks and strokes.

Pollution effects

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the environment that causes harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms that damage the environment. Pollution occurs in all habitats- lands, sea, fresh water and in the atmosphere.

• Polluted water bodies and denuded forest are not fit environment for many living organisms. Those that cannot withstand harsh conditions face the reality of extinction.
• The sea has dark colour and have a lot of flowing garbage, examine them and you will notice that most are food packaging materials such as cans, bags, bottles etc.

Percentage of packaging used for different products

(Source: The Rauch Guide to the Packaging Industry, 1986).

Conclusion

In conclusion, food packaging materials of all forms makes up 33% of the disposal solid waste. Food packaging materials have a negative impact on the environment. Paper and paperboard make up nearly half of all packaging materials used, more paper packaging materials should be use because it is easily recycled to produce fibre or is burned as fuel.

Therefore , proper health education to the people on the health effect of littering the environment, recycling of food packaging materials, enforcement of the public health law, provision of adequate waste bin by the government. Innovations that make food packaging material more environmental friendly are to be encouraged.

References

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Heldman, D. R. (2013). Encyclopedia of Agricultural, Food, and Biological Engineering. New York: Marcel Dekker

Kenneth, M. & Betty, B. (2007). Food packaging, role, material, and    environmental issue. Journal of Food Science 17, 50-53.

Potter, N. N. & Hotchkiss, J. H.  (2009). Food Science, (5^th ed.). New York: Chapman & Hall.

Riva, M., Piergiovanni, S. & Schiraldi, A. (2011). Performances of time-temperature indicators in the study of temperature exposure of packaged fresh foods. Packaging Technology and Science 14 (1), 1–39.

Robertson, G. L. (2013). Food Packaging: Principles & Practice.  London: CRC Press.

Sacharrow, S. & Griffin, R. (2008). Principle of food packaging (2^th ed.) Westport: Crest Books.

Smith, J. D., Rajeev, D. & Kripa K. Varanasi (2013). Droplet mobility on lubricant-impregnated surfaces. Soft Matter 19 (6), 1972–1980.