Articles
Integration of decay indexes and food waste potential in LCA studies of fresh products packaging
Article number
1442_37
Pages
279 – 286
Language
English
Abstract
Packaging is recognized as a potential net contributor to the sustainability goal of resource optimization and waste minimization, by protecting foods, preventing waste, enabling efficient business conduct, and providing consumers with the benefits of the products it contains.
Determining the best option packaging solution is a complex task, as it needs to consider the entire food product value chain.
Different packaging systems have varying impact on the shelf-life and affect the potential for losses and waste.
Therefore, comparison of different packaging systems, must also include the trade-offs analyses between loss/waste reduction and environmental load.
This work reviews packaging life cycle studies that consider not only the direct environmental impacts caused by the production, use, distribution and disposal of packaging but also the indirect environmental impacts caused by packaging-related food losses and waste.
The studies considered have focused on aspects of packaging, particularly relevant for fresh products, such as the effect of materials with different thicknesses, protective performance and cushioning, as well as consumer behaviour scenario analysis to evaluate variations in environmental impacts caused by the lifestyle and consumption preferences of consumers.
A preliminary LCA study comparing five packaging systems for tomato cherry was conducted.
The packages included two PET trays, one PE-coated cup and two paperboard trays.
The recycled content incorporated in each material and the end-of-life scenarios were considered.
The effect of the different packages in moisture loss of tomato was determined experimentally and included in the analysis.
For the global warming category, the PET clamshell was the less favourable due to long transportation and extrusion impact.
The paperboard PE-coated had the lowest impact, despite of the lower recyclability.
Furthermore, this packaging also protected better regarding the product moisture loss.
Determining the best option packaging solution is a complex task, as it needs to consider the entire food product value chain.
Different packaging systems have varying impact on the shelf-life and affect the potential for losses and waste.
Therefore, comparison of different packaging systems, must also include the trade-offs analyses between loss/waste reduction and environmental load.
This work reviews packaging life cycle studies that consider not only the direct environmental impacts caused by the production, use, distribution and disposal of packaging but also the indirect environmental impacts caused by packaging-related food losses and waste.
The studies considered have focused on aspects of packaging, particularly relevant for fresh products, such as the effect of materials with different thicknesses, protective performance and cushioning, as well as consumer behaviour scenario analysis to evaluate variations in environmental impacts caused by the lifestyle and consumption preferences of consumers.
A preliminary LCA study comparing five packaging systems for tomato cherry was conducted.
The packages included two PET trays, one PE-coated cup and two paperboard trays.
The recycled content incorporated in each material and the end-of-life scenarios were considered.
The effect of the different packages in moisture loss of tomato was determined experimentally and included in the analysis.
For the global warming category, the PET clamshell was the less favourable due to long transportation and extrusion impact.
The paperboard PE-coated had the lowest impact, despite of the lower recyclability.
Furthermore, this packaging also protected better regarding the product moisture loss.
Authors
I. Mota Pinto, A. Neto Carneiro, F. Poças
Keywords
cellulosic-based packaging, global warming, life-cycle assessment, cherry tomato packaging
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