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Special Issues
Recent Advances in Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable Food Packages
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Recent Advances in Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable Food Packages

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Packaging and Preservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 12422

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ron Porat

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
Interests: postharvest; food loss and waste; modified atmosphere packaging; flavor
Dr. Victor Rodov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
Interests: postharvest; modified atmosphere and humidity packaging; fresh-cut produce; phytonutrients

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Packaging is an essential means for preserving food. It serves the important functions of containing the food; protecting against various types of damage, contamination, and deterioration; as well as delivering manufacturer–consumer communication. The use of optimal plastic packaging can help to reduce losses that presently account for 20%–50% of the foods produced. However, the extensive use of plastics results in environmental pollution due to the very slow degradation of conventional petroleum-based polymers. Plastic-associated environmental concerns undermine the consumer trust in the sustainability of the food supply chain, and demand adequate solutions. To address this issue, more than 450 entities have signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which endorses a common circular economy vision in which by 2025 all plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. The aim of this Special Issue is to present recent advances in the development and implementation of reusable, recyclable, or compostable food packaging.

This Special Issue of Foods is a partner issue of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action 19124 - RETHINKING PACKAGING FOR CIRCULAR AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS OF THE FUTURE (CIRCUL-A-BILITY). The COST 19124 Action is a pan-European network of actors involved in all aspects of food packaging, including over 200 members from 44 countries in aim to harmonize, integrate and support implementation of sustainable food packaging solutions while reducing food waste.

Dr. Ron Porat
Dr. Victor Rodov
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food packaging
  • reusable food packaging
  • recyclable food packaging
  • compostable food packaging
  • bioplastics in food packaging
  • plastics biodegradability
  • food loss and waste reduction
  • new plastics economy
  • life cycle analysis
  • sustainability

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 3146 KiB  
Article
Microperforated Compostable Packaging Extends Shelf Life of Ethylene-Treated Banana Fruit
by Victor Rodov, Ron Porat, Amit Sabag, Bettina Kochanek and Haya Friedman
Foods 2022, 11(8), 1086; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11081086 - 09 Apr 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2965
Abstract
Plastic packaging preserves the quality of ethylene-treated bananas by generating a beneficial modified atmosphere (MA). However, petroleum-based plastics cause environmental pollution, due to their slow decomposition. Biodegradable packaging may help resolve this controversy, provided it shows adequate preservation efficacy. In this study, we [...] Read more.
Plastic packaging preserves the quality of ethylene-treated bananas by generating a beneficial modified atmosphere (MA). However, petroleum-based plastics cause environmental pollution, due to their slow decomposition. Biodegradable packaging may help resolve this controversy, provided it shows adequate preservation efficacy. In this study, we tested the compostable biodegradable polyester packaging of ethylene-treated bananas in comparison with commercially available petroleum-based plastic alternatives. When compostable packaging was used in a non-perforated form, it caused hypoxic fermentation, manifested as impaired ripening, off-flavor, and excessive softening. Micro-perforation prevented fermentation and allowed MA buildup. Furthermore, no water condensation was observed in the biodegradable packages, due to their somewhat higher water vapor permeability compared to conventional plastics. The fruit weight loss in biodegradable packaging was higher than in polypropylene, but 3–4-fold lower than in open containers. The control of senescence spotting was the major advantage of microperforated biodegradable packaging, combined with the preservation of acceptable fruit firmness and flavor, and low crown rot incidence. Optimal biodegradable packages extended the shelf life of bananas by four days compared with open containers, and by two days compared with the best commercial plastic package tested. Microperforated biodegradable packages combined the advantage of improved sustainability with superior fruit preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable Food Packages)
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12 pages, 696 KiB  
Article
(−)-Epigallocatechin Gallate Stability in Ready-To-Drink (RTD) Green Tea Infusions in TiO2 and Oleic-Acid-Modified TiO2 Polylactic Acid Film Packaging Stored under Fluorescent Light during Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C
by Naerin Baek, Young Kim, Susan Duncan, Kristen Leitch and Sean O’Keefe
Foods 2021, 10(4), 723; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10040723 - 29 Mar 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1951
Abstract
The light-protective effectiveness of titanium dioxide polylactic acid (TiO2 PLA) nanocomposite films (T-PLA) and oleic-acid-modified (OA_TiO2PLA) nanocomposite films was investigated in ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea infusions in oxygen-impermeable glass packaging. The stability of (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was evaluated in RTD [...] Read more.
The light-protective effectiveness of titanium dioxide polylactic acid (TiO2 PLA) nanocomposite films (T-PLA) and oleic-acid-modified (OA_TiO2PLA) nanocomposite films was investigated in ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea infusions in oxygen-impermeable glass packaging. The stability of (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was evaluated in RTD green tea infusions in glass packaging covered with PLA (polylactic acid), T-PLA and OT-PLA under fluorescent light during 20 days of storage at 4 °C. Levels of EGCG and color change of RTD green tea infusions were determined. In addition, sensory tests for difference were conducted on green tea infusions in glass packaging without and with complete light protection during 10 days of storage at 4 °C. Of the panelists, 60% noticed sensory differences in the RTD green tea infusion in two different packaging conditions during 10 days of storage under fluorescent light by a triangle test (p < 0.05). During 20 days of storage, levels of EGCG with complete light protection decreased by 10.8% (0.73 mg/mL), and there was a 42.2% loss of EGCG (0.48 mg/mL) in RTD green tea infusions in the glass packaging covered by PLA film. Finally, 3% T-PLA preserved higher levels of EGCG in RTD green tea infusions compared to 1% T-PLA and OT-PLA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable Food Packages)
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14 pages, 3338 KiB  
Article
Effects of Compostable Packaging and Perforation Rates on Cucumber Quality during Extended Shelf Life and Simulated Farm-to-Fork Supply-Chain Conditions
by Abiola Owoyemi, Ron Porat and Victor Rodov
Foods 2021, 10(2), 471; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10020471 - 20 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6370
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable Food Packages)
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