Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
moisture or oxygen, moisture or oxygen controllers can satisfy this function (Brody, 2010b).
To prevent the development of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, there are two basic
technologies: the delivery of antimicrobial compound by contact or antimicrobial gases (e.g.,
chlorine dioxide and sulfur dioxide).
Active packaging has been in the literature for more than 40 years and in the market for a
shorter period. However, it has never been used at the full extent of its potential; so it may be
time to look into this technology more seriously as one more tool to reduce the environmental
impact of food production and distribution by extending shelf life.
SUMMARY
Packaging is an essential element for protection and preservation of quality of food products.
Besides, it has secondary roles including containment, communication, convenience, market-
ing, security, and portion control. On the downside, packaging uses nonrenewable resources
and creates a steady stream of solid waste that needs more resources to dispose of, including
fossil fuels and land.
The preferred materials for primary-level food packaging are metals and plastics. On a
commercial scale, with exception of polylactide, all plastics are products derived from oil and
gas. Cardboard is used at all levels of packaging. However, at the primary level, it almost
always need some type of treatment to reduce oxygen, moisture, and oil migration.
In general, packaging has a high content of embedded energy as a result of the manufactur-
ing process and the caloric content of the package itself for those carbon-containing materi-
als. Extraction of raw materials for packaging manufacturing has important environmental
impacts. Metals obtained from mineral ores, such as iron and aluminum, have all the
associated impacts of mining, and production of aluminum is a energy-intensive process.
Renewable resources, such as wood and paper, also have severe impacts to the environment
during the growth of feedstocks as well the manufacturing phase in terms of water and energy
consumption.
The ideal packaging would be one capable of being recycled efficiently an infinite
number of times or returned to the ground as nutrients after composting. With exception
of aluminum and steel, all the other packaging materials are limited to a certain number
of recycling cycles and in most cases they are downgraded during recycling, meaning they
cannot be used in the same type of packaging they served before recycling. However,
recycled plastics have broad nonfood applications in automotive, household, and apparel
products.
Until new materials, which could be infinitely recycled or returned to the ground as nutri-
ents thus completing a true cradle-to-cradle cycle, are created, saving resources by reducing
packaging use, reusing as much as possible, and improving recycling are the only short term
alternatives.
REFERENCES
Ackerman, F. 1997. Environmental impacts of packaging in the U.S. and Mexico.
Society for Philosophy and
Technology
2 (3-4). Available at: <http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/SPT/v2_n2pdf/> [Accessed August
16, 2011].
American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). 2005. Saving one barrel of oil per ton: A new roadmap for transfor-
mation of steelmaking process. Available at: <http://www.climatevision.gov/pdfs/Saving_1005.pdf>
[Accessed March 8, 2010].
