Literature Review:Role of Packaging in Reducing Food Wastage

Role of Packaging in Reducing Food Wastage,This article consists of 15 pages and 3000 words. In order to have full access to this article, email us at thedocumentco@hotmail.co.uk

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Introduction

Simms and Trott (2014) conducted a research to study existing models of new product development to get an understanding of how the packaging is managed and integrated into the new product development process of FMCG manufacturing and further the previous researches pertaining to new packaging innovations. As a result of this research, they came up with specific packaging activities undertaken by firms and its integration into the new product development process. One of the key elements of the food industry is packaging and it is deemed as an essential issue with the development of new products (Koss, 2007).

It is also one of the important global industries, with it representing 2% of the Gross National Product (GNP) of the development countries (Simms and Trott, 2010). It ensures the safe handling of the products and ensures that the food products that are being delivered are fresh from the point of manufacturing to the consumers (Marsh and Bugusu, 2007). Packaging plays a very vital role in reducing food wastage and related poisoning and allergic reactions (Ahvenainen, 2003). The technological developments that are being made in the packaging offer novel benefits such as: reduction of food wastage, maintaining quality, adding value and extending the shelf-life of food products (Brody, Bugusu, Han, Sand and McHugh, 2008). Furthermore, Opara (2013) states the contribution of packaging is not only on securing food but also maintaining the quality of the food and decreasing food wastage.

The past twenty years have witnessed a fundamental change in the packaging technologies. The new and emerging packaging technologies have totally revolutionized the outdated ways of handling and packaging food to fulfil the consumer demands and maintaining the consistent supply of high quality, safe and nutritious food products (Coles, McDowell and Kirwan, 2003).

Gustavsson, Cederberg, and Sonesson (2011) have indicated that about one-third, which equals 1.3 billion ton, of the food produced for consumption is wasted every year. These researchers distinguish between the food wastage happening in the supply chain level and the food wastage happening at the consumer level (Lundqvist, Fraiture and Molden, 2008). According to Global Product Stewardship Council (2012), the economies globally are now focused toward recycling of packaging waste still there is very high packaging waste in the world. The US recycles 51% of its waste in 2011 as compared to that of 41% in 2005 but it implies that still 49% is wasted in the year 2005.

Similarly, Israel has set a target of 60% recycling in the year 2015 on the directives of EU but the actual position of recycling is even weaker than that (Global Product Stewardship Council, 2012). According to the researchers in the US alone, the food that is wasted from the farm to the fork is around forty two percent of the total food produced (Cuéllar and Webber, 2010). This means that more than four pounds of every ten produced, is never actually consumed. At time due to production errors, such as wrong packaging as not all packaging is uniform, food is rejected and often destroyed (Waarts et. al, 2011).

The water that is used to produce this wasted food equals twenty four percent of the total water used for agriculture annually, this amount can easily fill seventy million swimming pools of the Olympic size (Parfitt, Barthel and Macnaughton , 2010). Considering the statistic by United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) that approximately one billion people around the world are undernourished, the prevention of wastage of food could be potentially used to fight against hunger and additionally, this wastage impacts the environment significantly (Nellemann, 2009).  Furthermore, by the year 2050 the world will need sixty percent more food calories compared to 2006 if the food wastage continues with the same pace (Gustavsson, Cederberg, Sonesson, Van Otterdijk and Meybeck, 2011).

Bart, (2002) has suggested that the solution of this food wastage which lies in the packaging as mentioned in the beginning. There are multiple of international, national and local organizations that have already declared a War on Food Wastage, starting from the United Nations to the group of elementary students (Lipinski, Hanson, Lomax, Kitinoja, Waite and Searchinger, 2013).

Impact of Packaging on Food Wastage

Food packaging has become an important part of the modern society (Robertson, 2016). The purpose of food packaging is to ensure that the packaged food is preserved and delivered fresh and edible to the final consumer (Kadoya, 2012). Packaging of food ensures that elements such as microorganisms, heat, light, etc. do not spoil the food.

The climatic impact and consumption level of cooked ham and beef is higher as compared to other food categories (Ahvenainen, 2003). Half of the total losses as a result of wastage of meat and meat products are attributed to the consumption level i.e. by retailers and consumer especially in the U.S. and Europe (Gustavsson, Cederberg, and Sonesson, 2011). The adverse effects caused by the meat wastage can be minimized if that excess food is not wasted.

Vacuum skin packaging (VSP) and Modified Atmosphere Packaging are used for the fresh meat which extends the shelf life of meat hence reducing the amount of meat wasted. With the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technique where the atmosphere surrounding the meat product is modified or removed before sealing it have enabled better packaging of meat based products (McMillin, 2008). Furthermore, McMillin (2008) has stated that advances in plastic materials and equipment have enhanced the MAP technique thus increasing the shelf life of meat based products and considerably reducing wastage in the process.

Exposure to light and oxygen greatly affects the shelf life of meat products and packaging, though does not completely eliminate these factors, reduces them to a great extent as advanced packaging, i.e. MAP, techniques have incorporated the elimination of oxygen (Robertson, 2016). Additionally, this technique helps in prevention quick oxidization and the texture and quality of the meat are retained for a longer while (Cutter, 2006). However, even with all the advancement in the packaging technology the cost and application of the technology is very limiting and hence are yet to use universally (Puligundla and Jung, 2012).   ….continued