Kaushik Mudaliar is a student of the Master in International Agribusiness Management at ISAM. He has completed his Master’s in Food Supply Chain Management and his bachelor’s in Chemical Technology. His area of expertise and interest is in food and agricultural technology. He enjoys making new connections and speaking with new people in this sector. His ultimate goal is to acquire knowledge and apply it to the Agri sector in order to address food security concerns.
Food Systems and Packaging
Hundreds of millions of single-use trays, cans, containers, and pieces of kitchenware are discarded every day all around the world. Thus, packaging plays a crucial role in addressing the major issues surrounding global sustainable food consumption, which revolves around reducing the environmental impact of packaged foods.
In the EU, around 100 million tons of food are wasted every year, accounting for roughly 30% of the agri-food supply chain.
Packaging is an essential component of food quality preservation as it limits commodity losses and prolongs fresh produce shelf-life and it also is the only way to make food transportation easier. Keep reading to learn some of the latest innovative solutions for packaging.
Start of the New-Era in Packaging
The old packaging sector is gradually becoming obsolete. The era of new packaging is on the horizon, in which eco-conscious packaging and sustainable package design become the norm.
As we think of sustainable packaging solutions, we face a challenge when we try to package things these days. But this is not an impossible task. Eco-friendly packaging can meet consumer needs, look kind of elegant, and stop packaging waste all at the same time.
Research on how people shop shows that green packaging design is a great way to get people to stay loyal to a brand. It doesn’t matter at the end of the day if you choose to employ compostable packaging, reusable packaging solutions, or environmentally friendly packaging materials; sustainable product packaging is always a solution that benefits everyone involved.
Ultimately, it is a minor step for the food and agriculture sector, but a monumental shift for the earth and humanity.
Edible Packaging
Edible packaging is packaging and containers that are both protective and edible.
They dramatically minimize plastic manufacture and waste. It is an excellent replacement for traditional plastic food packaging and it is made from renewable and biodegradable materials.
Seaweed and other natural biodegradable materials can be used to create packaging that can be eaten rather than thrown away.
These are packaging materials produced entirely from organic materials, like Banana leaves, bamboo, soy, seaweed, and other plant-based materials are some of the most attractive biodegradable materials used in this type of packaging.
Few things are more beneficial to the environment than eliminating waste in such an intelligent way. Unfortunately, despite being somewhat novel, plant-based packaging is still quite uncommon.
Bio-plastics Packaging
Bioplastic are polymers created from plants or other biological materials instead of crude oil, natural gas, or even other fuels and thus have a smaller carbon footprint than regular plastics. Bioplastics are not always biodegradable or compostable, despite the common misconception that they are. We also need to be aware that the introduction of bioplastics may only serve to mitigate rather than completely resolve the plastic problem.
Although packaging is one of the most unpopular parts of the food production sector, it is highly necessary for the preservation of food in the highest quality and most hygienic conditions. It is the job of the new generation to find ways to keep using packaging but in a more sustainable way. If you would like to learn more about sustainable packaging in the food sector, have a look at the Master in International Agribusiness Management.
