Packaging functions and their role in technical development of food packaging systems: Functional equivalence in yoghurt packaging

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using examples of yoghurt packagings - 115 g pack for Polylactic acid (PLA) versus Polystyrene (PS) and 150 g pack for Polypropylene (PP) against PS - the following study elaborates on the interaction between the choice of packaging material and resulting technical performance in terms of food packaging functions such as: stackability, oxygen barrier and water vapor barrier. Stackability was the critical parameter for material substitution in both packagings while oxygen and water vapor barrier were not found to be relevant. In 115 g pack, less amount of PLA (mass factor of 0.79), with thinner cup sidewall of 105 µm against 159 µm, provided the same functionality as PS. Whereas, in 150 g pack, equivalent mass of PP shows to provide the same functionality as PS, however, with thicker sidewall of 149 µm against 128 µm and 30% higher compression force. Finally, aforesaid, functional equivalency factors are factored-in to estimate environmental impacts of the packaging materials, so far on a cradle-to-gate basis, and identify potential for further improvements in packaging design.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)405-410
Number of pages6
JournalProcedia CIRP
Volume90
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
Event27th CIRP Life Cycle Engineering Conference, LCE 2020 - Grenoble, France
Duration: 13 May 202015 May 2020

Keywords

  • Environmental impacts
  • Food packaging functions
  • Material substitution
  • Packaging material

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Packaging functions and their role in technical development of food packaging systems: Functional equivalence in yoghurt packaging'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this