Knowledge of biodegradable food packaging is lacking in the industry and some decisions are being based on intuition or trail and error, an expert in the field says.
Author of Food Packaging Principles and Practice and adjunct professor at Australia's University of Queensland, Dr Gordon Robertson has warned against being swept up in a rush to adopt new bio-based polymers such as PLA and PHA for food packaging without thoroughly investigating issues such as shelf life and biodegradability under normal conditions.
"It's no use having a biodegradable PLA water bottle for example that is going to start leaking its contents after a few weeks, which is what is happening right now to such bottles in New Zealand and the USA," Robertson says.
"These products only breakdown quickly under certain conditions as well.
"For example, a biodegradable PLA water bottle may take three to five years at 25°C to completely breakdown and more than two months at 60°C.
"A technical understanding of the functions and impacts of food packaging must be developed if we are to proceed with the sensible introduction of bio-based packaging."
Robertson says food packaging has become a "poster-boy" for environmental activism as it is the most visible form of waste, although the environmental impacts for such packaging are small and the packaging actually prevents waste.
POLYONE OPENS FRENCH CENTRE
US company PolyOne Corporation, a global provider of specialised polymer materials, services and solutions has opened a specialised colour design centre in France.
The Cergy design centre near Paris specialises in serving the European packaging market and features sate-of-the-art equipment developed to replicate actual manufacturing conditions, PolyOne says.
The facility helps validate the compatibility of additives and colour solutions primarily for polyolefins.
PolyOne general manager of Colour and Additives in Europe Christoph Palm says the centre's resources will help customers understand both colour and polymer technology in an environment that stimulates creativity and innovation.
"By prototyping on production-like machines, our customers will have the capability to develop unique products more quickly and efficiently than ever before," he says.
PolyOne opened its first design centre in Belgium earlier this year.
NEW WAY FOR CAKE PRESENTATION
US company Presentation Packaging has launched new cake and muffin packaging, featuring an insert tray that hold the goods in place to reduce damage during transportation.
The corrugated cardboard boxes are capable of holding up to 24 cakes and are stackable and reusable.
The boxes are also available with a clear window for retailers who wish to use them to display the products.
AFCO LAUNCHES PACKAGING AFTER TWO-YEAR TESTS
AFCO has launched a recyclable corrugated board package for fresh fish, following two years of investigation and tests.
AFCOFISH holds 6kg of fish and 2kg of ice for 24 hours.
The product is a "great opportunity to open new markets and to position corrugated board as the most suitable packaging material for this product" AFCO says.
AFCO says due to the technical characteristics required by this kind of supply chain, the package must follow strict quality and production rules in order to guarantee its function.
The company is now working on a solution that will survive a 72-hour supply chain.
Source: packaging-technology
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