Consumer complaints and accidents related to food packaging

This study investigated consumer complaints related to food packaging design and the occurrence of injuries associated with the opening of various types of containers. Each study participant (245) took a 15 min fact‐to‐face interview and was asked attitudinal questions about 10 different categories of packaging including cans, glass and plastic bottles and jars, and paper‐based composite packages. The subjects were also asked whether they had been injured while opening these packaging types. The survey showed that cans which needed a tool for opening were most difficult to enter. In some cases the tool was the source of injury. The respondents were also most concerned about deformation, spillage and product wastage associated with these types of containers. This included brick‐type composite packages without a peelable seal over the pour spout. A large percentage of the respondents felt that more information was needed on the various methods of opening packages in general. Glass bottles and jars were most likely to be used for storage of products after they were emptied of their original contents. The results of this study could be used by manufacturers to assist them in the design and development of packaging with a lower potential to cause accidents and injuries. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Critical Factors in Opening Pharmaceutical Packages: a Usability Study among Healthcare Workers,Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Elderly Women

This cross‐sectional study compared the usability of pharmaceutical packages to determine the critical factors involved in packages with different opening mechanisms. Four packaging types (a bottle with a screw cap, a box with a pill plate, disposable plastic droppers with a container and a jar with a hinge cap) were evaluated by 45 women (nurses, older women and women with rheumatoid arthritis). Usability was evaluated for subjective measures related to the ease of opening and for objective measures related to the time needed to open the packaging, electrical muscular activity (electromyography, EMG) and ranges of motion of the upper extremities. Of the arthritic women, 13% were unable to open the screw‐cap bottle, and 20% did not succeed in opening the plastic dropper packaging. Everyone else, except one older woman handling the plastic dropper packaging, managed to open all the packages. Regarding the ease of opening, the participants gave the plastic dropper packaging the lowest rating (p < 0.001). The arthritic women used greater relative biomechanical strain while opening the screw cap bottle and the box with pill plate compared with the other participants (p < 0.05), with the relative muscular strain in the forearm varying by 29–40% for the maximal EMG activity and the relative range of motion in the wrist being 70–90% of the maximal range of motion. These findings revealed both subjectively and objectively measured features on the usability of pharmaceutical packages. The comprehensibility of the opening mechanism and the ease of handling the package should be considered when user‐friendly products are being created. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

What institutional kitchens require of packages

A theme interview study technique was used to investigate the requirements of institutional kitchens on packages. The interviewees included experts in the food and packaging industries as well as workers in staff restaurants and school dining rooms. Packages containing milk, juice, vegetables and convenience food products were studied. This study shows that the packages did not always function in a satisfactory way. The biggest problem seemed to be the weight of the package and the opening mechanism. The workers are mainly female and therefore 20 kg is too heavy for lifting. It is also important that the package can be disposed of easily. A good package is easy to open and reclose. Reclosing, in particular, proved to be problematic. It is important that the package can be reclosed properly. A problem with packages filled with convenience food is that they are often too full and the food boils over hen heated.     

Evaluation of the Accessibility of Selected Packaging by Comparison of Quantitative Measurements of the Opening Forces and Qualitative Surveys through Focus Group Studies

It can be expected that many elderly people have impaired opening capacity of food packaging bearing in mind the changes in functionality and physical strength that occur during ageing. This study determined the relation of the quantitative force required to open selected food packaging systems with findings derived from qualitative focus group studies to retrieve comprehensive information on the specific needs of seniors. The focus group studies revealed that the assessment of the ease of opening is very subjective and can vary from objective measurements. The quantitative measurement of the force required to open the ‘easy to open’ thermoformed tray resulted in considerably higher peel initiation forces of 22.50 ± 1.62 N compared to the standard tray (12.80 ± 1.93 N). However, the packaging type was still felt to be easier to open because of the enlarged tab and peeling corner, which was said to be easy to grip. Conversely, the stand‐up pouches with twist‐off caps could only be opened with difficulty because of the small caps and the difficulty in breaking seals, despite the substantially lower opening forces of 0.46 ± 0.06 Nm compared with the other torque closures. The evaluation of a package was found to be only partly dependent on the required opening force but strongly influenced by various design factors and consumer's expectations as well as experiences. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐intrusive Measurements of Headspace Gas Composition in Liquid Food Packages Made of Translucent Materials

The increase in chilled food consumption requires enhanced food safety and quality assurance. Food deteriorating processes are affected by the presence of oxygen, combined with factors such as time and temperature. To slow down deterioration processes and prolong shelf life, traditional packaging methods are being replaced by modified atmosphere packaging, for example. Oxygen, which is naturally present in the headspace of most food packages, is then reduced and controlled. Many sensing techniques for food quality assurance have been developed; however, almost all are intrusive, increasing the complication level and causing sample waste. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a non‐intrusive technique [gas in scattering media absorption spectroscopy (GASMAS)] for measuring gas composition in the headspace of liquid food packages. The GASMAS method uses diode laser absorption spectroscopy combined with diffuse light propagation to analyse gas located inside solids and liquids. By illuminating the package from the outside and analysing the scattered light that emerges, the absorption from the gas inside the headspace can be studied.The GASMAS technique was evaluated on a series of carton packages with a high‐quality orange juice and a nitrogen headspace. A clear variation in oxygen content was measured for samples with different storage times. The results demonstrate the possibility of using the GASMAS method for non‐intrusive quality measurements in food products and packaging. They also indicate the potential for the non‐intrusive quality assurance applications without waste of samples. A further development of the technique could include ‘in‐line’ quality control of packed food items throughout the food packaging supply chain. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Productivity Study of Digital Printing in the Packaging Industry

In this study, the suitability of digital printing is evaluated in short runs in packaging industry. The image quality of digital printing is high enough to be used in packaging. The advantages of digital printing and modern converting processes include e.g. the possibilities of using variable data, on‐demand manufacturing and cost‐effectiveness within short print runs. The limitations may include a smaller colour gamut compared to traditional presses, format size, productivity and lower printing speed. In addition, the variety of substrates for use is smaller than in traditional printing. The productivity of the world's first integrated digital printing line designed for short runs was tested by simulating various packaging runs in production. For further analysis, an MS Excel calculation tool was developed. In the calculations, the productivity of a digital packaging line was compared with that of a standard packaging line based on an offline offset printing technique. The cost advantages to be achieved by digital printing techniques in short runs are discussed in two scenarios. The scenarios address the subjects' break‐even point and inline production process. The results of the study show that it is possible to achieve significant cost savings using the inline digital printing and converting systems when compared with traditional offline manufacturing systems in short runs. However, as there are numerous variables included to the production process, it is impossible to present any exact numbers for the break‐even point. In this study, the break‐even point calculated is estimated to be in the range of 4000–8000 packages, depending on the package and sheet sizes. The greatest difference in price per package occurs when the runs are below 2000 packages. Based on the calculations, the inline process itself can decrease the payback time for the machine line as much as 20–35%. One significant factor to be mindful of is that when digital printing is used in the short runs, it often releases machine time from the traditional presses. This part of the analysis has not been included in this study, but using the calculation tool, it is easy to simulate different scenarios and perform further analyses on the systems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurement and Analysis of Physical and Climatic Distribution Environment for Air Package Shipment

There has been a significant growth in the air package shipment business, which involves the multi‐modal movement of a package in transportation and material handling systems that encompass conveyors, carts, trucks, delivery vans and aircrafts of various sizes and shapes. This study was aimed at establishing the ‘air package shipment’ conditions experienced by packages transported by air under ‘normal conditions of transport’. Air package shipment data (temperature, humidity, pressure, shock and vibration) were collected for several domestic and international routes through instrumented packages. The collected data were supplemented by previous research to measure and quantify this multi‐modal shipping environment. This study also compared industry‐accepted American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) pre‐shipment test methods with the general requirements of package design qualification testing as outlined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 178, Subpart M. This review revealed that the design qualification testing for certain distribution‐related hazard elements is not currently representative of the normal conditions of air transport. The data gathered in this study were analysed to represent the current ‘normal conditions of transport’, i.e. beginning‐to‐end delivery of air packages. The study used the time spent by the package in each of the segments of transportation to determine a ‘single profile’ or ‘test’ that would represent the average and normal expected levels for each hazard element and would serve as the basis of a minimum level for performance testing to establish normal conditions of transport by air. The recommended test methods and levels can be easily adopted by existing distribution packaging testing labs globally. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Extended Method to Measure Overall Consumer Satisfaction with Packaging

There are several reasons why people find it troublesome to use and handle consumer packages. The European Committee for Standardization recently suggested a technical specification (TS) regarding packaging and ease of opening. The present study has expanded the procedure by including consumer satisfaction measurements in two steps and engaging panels comprising two separate age groups. The expanded method, which used six different packages as test objects, engaged 75 panellists, 40 in the older group (65–80 years) and 35 in the younger group (25–40 years). The expanded method not only included the same operations as described in the TS but also included panellists who graded each handling element separately on a ‘smiley’ scale, along with feedback for their grades and an overall judgement of the package handling. The grading feedback differed between the two groups. The younger panellists mainly noted issues that were not connected to openability, while older panellists noted openability as the most influential factor. Further analysis revealed that openability was also a key issue for the younger panellists, despite their claims to the contrary. Satisfaction was the most critical TS element for describing a package as being easy to open. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Framework for Sustainable Food Packaging Design

The environmental impacts of packages have been found to be relatively small compared with the food items they contain. Furthermore, from the environmental and operational point of view, the most significant task of the package is to protect the product, which is important to acknowledge in the packaging design process. This study introduces a guiding framework for designing sustainable food packaging. In this approach, the entire life cycle of the product–package combination is taken into consideration. The emphasis is on the prevention of food losses in packaging design as a major environmental criterion. Consideration of the properties of both the package and the product itself when designing the final package will lead to a better end result with smaller product losses and environmental impacts. By using different assessment methods in the different stages of the packaging design, the sustainability of the package can be enhanced. The decision making of the packaging designer is facilitated with methods that are introduced step by step and in a certain order that will also allow for corrective measures through back‐loops in the design process. The purpose is to integrate sustainability aspects at all stages firmly into the design process. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predicting changes in oxygen concentration in the headspace of nitrogen flushed packages by the ambient oxygen ingress rate method

The ambient oxygen ingress rate (AOIR) method is an alternative/supplementary method to Ox‐Tran for measuring the oxygen transmission rates of packages. The AOIR method facilitates high‐capacity testing of packages under realistic food storage conditions, on the one hand, and on the other hand provides the possibility to predict the oxygen concentration over time in packages flushed with nitrogen at the time of packaging. The predicted oxygen concentration values showed good agreement with experimental values for flexible packages stored over a period of 91 days at 23°C and 38°C. The prediction of the oxygen concentration in­nitrogen‐flushed packages may be a useful tool, e.g. in shelf life studies, in the selection of the optimal food package as regards to oxygen protection and within quality control purposes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Designing Efficient Oxygen Scavenging Coating Formulations for Food Packaging Applications

Modified atmosphere packaging is widely used to prolong the shelf life of many oxygen‐sensitive items including food, pharmaceuticals, work of art and so on. For food packaging applications, we investigated the effectiveness of oxygen scavenging coatings and flexographic printing ink formulations made using water soluble and water insoluble ascorbate enzyme systems. The present study summarizes the effects of various parameters on the oxygen scavenging rates and other performance aspects of the formulations. It is shown that; the initial oxygen scavenging rate can be increased by increasing the surface area of Calcium Ascorbate crystals and addition of catalyst or edible oil; addition of a catalyst like TiO₂ or Alumina and an edible oil in Ascorbate and laccase‐based formulations induces a synergistic effect upon the rate of scavenging oxygen from the packages; an efficient oxygen scavenging coating formulation can be made using water soluble Calcium Ascorbate and insoluble Ascorbate Palmitate containing enzyme and substrate; designing an efficient oxygen scavenging formulation using water insoluble Ascorbate Palmitate can reduce or eliminate formation of effluent which has potential to change the aperral of food items inside the package; an adverse effect of some binders which cause a reduction in the oxygen scavenging rate can be eliminated by making blends of different binders. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Potency evaluation of a dermaseptin S4 derivative for antimicrobial food packaging applications

Antimicrobial packaging is part of the broader area of active packaging, in which the package absorbs/releases different compounds during the product's storage and plays a major role in maintaining quality, extending shelf‐life and improving the product's safety. Antimicrobial packages are capable of inhibiting the detrimental effects of spoiling microorganisms in food products. There has been very great interest in antimicrobial packaging in recent years and many such packaging materials have been proposed, some of which containing synthetic additives and others natural additives. In the present study, antimicrobial materials containing the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) dermaseptin K₄K₂₀‐S4, which shows cytolytic activity in vitro against a broad spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, yeast and filamentous fungi, were investigated. The study was aimed at evaluating the potency of this AMP as an antimicrobial agent for antimicrobial food packaging in two forms: (a) an aqueous solution of AMP was applied onto a polyethylene shrink‐wrapping film; (b) the AMP was incorporated in a corn starch‐based coating and applied directly onto the foodstuff (fresh cucumbers). Of these two versions, the latter has shown a greater efficiency against moulds and aerobic bacteria, even at lower surface concentrations of AMP (4.5µg/dm² vs. 3.5–3.8µg/dm²) in the coating. While in the first version the AMP had slowed down the growth of microorganisms only slightly, incorporation of AMP into the coating caused a reduction in their concentration practically to zero. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Active packaging as an opportunity to create package design that reflects the communicational,functional and logistical requirements of food products

The packaging of industrial food products is the most important means of transmitting a product's image and taste value. When the nature of its interface and its contents are the product of carefully planned imaging, the product has notable advantages in defining its image and product identity. Modern food trends dictate an ever‐increasing amount of services: The so‐called ‘functional packaging’ and ‘active packaging’ are prime examples of this service. The greatest innovation within this category of products consists literally of their interaction with food. These features create numerous fallbacks within all stages of the life‐cycle of a product, requiring a complex and multidisciplinary evaluation. The evaluation strategy of services which this packaging will offer to the consumer is still to be defined, and still to be identified within the key applications are the interests of the intermediary links of the production process. This requires the evaluation of the semantic and communicative aspects of the packaging which tend to be confused with the foodstuffs, the individualization of appropriate user profiles, control of logistical and location aspect of production, and a careful analysis of a comprehensive environmental balance, all issues that are parts of the objectives of the European project, Actipak. It is hoped, therefore, that the elaboration of these packaging systems will become a motive to try out a more knowledgeable and systematic design process for foodstuffs, in which innovative technology is used to provide effective benefits to the consumer. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of flat film to total package water vapour transmission rates for several commercial food wraps

The barrier properties of a package are the sum of material and seal permeations. Although addressed for hermetically sealed and modified atmosphere packages, little consideration of total package permeation has been given to commercial food wraps. Standard protocols were used to compare the water vapour transmission rates (WVTRs) of materials and packages for seven commercial food wraps: aluminum foil; poly(vinylidene chloride) (PVdC) film; three poly(ethylene) (PE) films; an adhesive‐modified PE film; and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) film. Water ingress for a complete package was compared to calculated material permeation based on film WVTRs. Film‐to‐glass adhesion strength was also measured. Model systems (desiccant) were compared to foods at ambient and refrigeration temperatures. Aluminum foil had the lowest material WVTR (0.10 g/h/m²), closely followed by PVdC (0.13 g/h/m²). These WVTRs were approximately five‐fold lower than the PEs (～0.65 g/h/m²), which were nearly 10‐fold lower than PVC (4.9 g/h/m²). The adhesive‐modified PE film had the lowest difference between material and package transmission rates (0.7 E‐03 g/h), approximately half that of the PVdC film (1.1 E‐03 g/h), which was significantly lower than the remaining films (2.3 E‐03 –3.9 E‐03 g/h). The adhesive PE film had the strongest film–glass adhesion. Ambient food product test results were similar to model system (desiccant) results, but refrigerated trials showed significantly different relative package transmission rates. This was attributed to the reduced adhesion of most wraps at refrigeration temperatures. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

食品包装的设计策略及发展趋势分析

基于食品的基本包装要求,通过详细分析获得2007和2008世界之星包装大奖的食品包装设计案例,阐述了最优食品包装设计在材料选择、结构设计和装潢造型设计中应当采取的策略和方法,并探讨了当今世界食品包装技术的创新发展趋势。     

Measure for Measure: Pack Performance versus Human Dexterity and Grip Strength

‘Openability’ of food and beverage packaging has been shown to be problematic for older consumers. Pressure on resources has seen the use of packaged food and beverages increase in hospitals within the New South Wales region of Australia. Studies at the University of Wollongong have explored the interaction between older people and the types of packages regularly encountered in the delivery of hospital food and nutrition. As these types of packs are commonly found in UK hospitals as well, a series of studies have been undertaken by the University of Wollongong, Australia, and Sheffield Hallam University, UK, to further evaluate the issues surrounding the ‘openability’ of hospital food and beverage packaging in an attempt to understand in detail the issues leading to difficulty in use. Current methods of pack ‘ease of opening’ evaluation rely on hand strength as the core parameter. Our studies examine the role of dexterity in addition to hand strength in pack opening. Water bottles, single portion drink cartons and cheese portions were among the poorest performing packs. Dexterity, rather than strength is found to be a sensitive and reliable method to understand the issues surrounding the poor pack performance, and a repeatable way of comparing different pack formats is presented. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

从包装鉴别假冒伪劣食品

面对市场上大量的假冒伪劣食品,消费者如能掌握一套简单快捷地鉴别假冒伪劣食品的方法,即可降低选购到假冒伪劣食品的概率。假冒伪劣食品在包装上一般粗制滥造,会显示其假冒伪劣的本质,因此通过对食品的包装印刷、包装材料、包装结构、包装工艺、包装防伪和包装标示等方面的分析,可以掌握从包装鉴别假冒伪劣食品的方法。     

Consumer Perceptions of Food Packaging: Contributing to or Counteracting Environmentally Sustainable Development?

Packaging has a fundamental role in ensuring safe delivery of goods throughout supply chains to the end consumer in good condition. It also has great potential to contribute to sustainable development. This paper explores and provides insights on Swedish consumer perceptions and knowledge of environmental aspects of food packaging and elaborates on how these can contribute to or counteract environmentally sustainable development. A study based on a consumer survey carried out in Sweden is presented. A review of recent packaging research emphasizes the protective function of packaging as its most important contribution to the environmental dimension of sustainable development. Contrary to this, consumers almost exclusively refer to the packaging material when it comes to their perceptions of the environmental impact of packaging. Paper‐based packaging is strongly understood by the surveyed consumers to be environmentally advantageous, whereas plastic and metal are not. This study further indicates that a majority of the Swedish consumers surveyed are aware of their shortcomings in judging the environmental status of food packaging, indicating a need for guidance; otherwise, consumer choices can unintendedly counteract environmentally sustainable intentions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

油墨溶剂在食品软包装中的残留及迁移规律

目的研究油墨溶剂在食品软包装材料中的残留及迁移行为,为食品包装生产企业提供安全风险控制方面的参考。方法采用顶空气相色谱-质谱联用(HS-GC-MS)技术,对印刷油墨的挥发性溶剂在食品软包装中的残留进行定性定量分析,以检出率较高的苯类溶剂甲苯、酯类溶剂乙酸丁酯和酮类溶剂丁酮为迁移研究对象,分别以PE,PP,PET/CPP,PET/PE,OPP/CPP,PET/PA/CPP为包装材料,研究油墨溶剂在水性食品模拟液(蒸馏水)、酸性食品模拟液(体积分数为3%的乙酸)、醇性食品模拟液(体积分数为10%的乙醇)和脂肪性模拟液(正己烷)中的迁移残留行为。结果研究表明,印刷后的食品软包装材料中大部分都有苯类、酯类和酮类等有机挥发物的残留,残留溶剂在食品模拟液中迁移量的大小依次为正己烷乙醇(体积分数为10%)乙酸(体积分数为3%)蒸馏水,而且对于不同的包装材料迁移量的大小也不同。结论油墨溶剂在食品软包装材料上的残留和迁移行为,主要与环境温度、食品性质以及包装材料的性能有关。