Innovative Packaging Takes On Food Waste

By Alec Italiano, contributing writer

Germ-killing films and color-changing packages are among the latest advances in the fight against spoilage in the supply chain

Nothing destroys bottom lines in the food industry quite like wasted food due to spoilage. Whether the waste is coming from spoilage during harvesting — a major problem in many African nations — or during the transportation and consumption processes— a more prevalent problem in North America — innovative packaging solutions are helping to combat the issue.

Having the packaging itself report the state of the contents within is an emerging innovation in food’s packaging industry. Temperature and time indicators are being produced by BASF and the Swiss Freshpoint company. A special pigment printed directly to a food product’s package will change color as the product ages, indicating remaining shelf life. Other examples include beer and fruit juice Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles being treated with oxygen absorbers, like iron, so that the contents are exposed to as little oxygen as possible.

Further research has given way to films lined with sorbic acid and other preservatives that kill germs on contact. There is significant pushback on films though, as critics say this takes away from the product’s naturalness.  Natural food is a quickly growing emerging market, so companies using these films have come under some duress. One solution to this problem comes from the Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) in Germany where they are developing a similar film, but derived from plants.

Despite breakthroughs in shelf-life prolonging packaging innovations, cost is something that must always be considered. Any improvement to a package generally includes more materials, not to mention all the research involved. These factors subsequently drive up costs. This has forced companies to simply be smarter about other efficiencies within the value chain, like automation. Companies are boosting several efficiencies at once by improving machine design, making machines easier to use, making equipment more accessible, cleaned more simply, and more easily inspected.

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