Development and validation of a technique to measure and compare the opening characteristics of tamper‐evident bottle closures

Large sections of the population encounter difficulty in opening consumer packaging of many kinds. Screw‐caps in particular can cause problems for a range of people with a variety of impairments. This paper describes the development and initial testing of a novel multi‐axial force and torque transducer, designed for the study of loading conditions when tamper‐evident bottle closures are opened manually. The transducer, which comprises seven beams that are sensitive to direct forces and torques in each of three axes, can provide comprehensive information on the loading conditions that occur when an instrumented bottle is opened. Importantly, the transducer has been designed to fit inside a typical 500 ml capacity plastic soft drinks bottle so that it does not interfere with the way in which the subject grips the bottle and cap, or applies forces and torques, in order to open the bottle. The method to obtain load data from the calibration matrix, along with initial opening force and torque test data from two user groups, elderly and young, is described. It is clear from the results of these tests that the elderly and young groups exhibit significantly different torque and force profiles to open bottles. It is anticipated that the transducer will be a valuable tool in future studies of opening strategies. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Requirements for packaging from an ageing consumer's perspective

The overall objective of this research was to explore ageing consumers' attitudes towards currently available food packaging in New Zealand. Ninety‐nine individuals (over the age of 60) in New Zealand were surveyed to determine packaging attributes of importance when selecting food products. This was followed with a focus group of 13 individuals to discuss improvements to packaging. Frequencies of responses were calculated for the survey data, and cross‐tabulations and chi‐square tests were used to determine the relationships between variables. Price, safety, size of packaging and ability to recycle were of most importance to these individuals. Problems encountered with food packaging included tight lids, small printing and spillage during opening. Of the types of package closures investigated, opening of packages, rather than resealing of packages proved problematic. Fifty percent or more of respondents indicated that peelable induction seals, lug closures and continuous thread closures were problems that occurred ‘very often’ or ‘frequently’. Sixty‐one percent of the participants surveyed had asked for assistance opening some types of packages, and this was particularly prevalent among individuals who had weakness in their arms, hands or wrists. Changes to package closures suggested during the focus groups included increasing the size of twist off caps, larger ring pulls on aluminium cans and including more sliding resealable closures on foil and plastic packaging. Larger printing on labels was also recommended by the participants. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article was published online on 1^st December 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both were corrected on 19^th March 2009.     

Evaluating elevated release liner adhesion of a transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS): A study of Daytrana™ methylphenidate transdermal system

Background: Complaints from healthcare providers that the adhesive on the Daytrana? methylphenidate transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) adhered to the release liner to such an extent that the release liner could not be removed prompted this study. Daytrana? has a packaging system consisting of a moisture-permeable pouch contained within a sealed tray containing a desiccant; the tray is impermeable to ambient moisture. The objective of this project was to determine if the Daytrana? packaging system influenced the difficulty in removing the release liner.

Method: Both a sealed tray and an open tray containing sealed pouches were placed into an environmental chamber at 25°C and 60% relative humidity for 30 days; afterwards, release liner removal testing using a peel angle of 90° and a peel speed of 300?mm/min was performed.

Results: TDDS from open chamber trays required less force to remove the release liner than did TDDS from closed chamber trays. For the 10?mg/9?h TDDS and the 15?mg/9?h TDDS (the dosages examined), there were substantial differences in release liner removal force between an old lot and a new lot for closed chamber trays but not for open chamber trays.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that for this particular TDDS, storage conditions such as humidity influence release liner adhesion. This project also demonstrates that, to ensure adequate product quality, adhesion needs to become an important design parameter, and the design of a TDDS should consider the ability to remove the release liner under anticipated storage conditions.     

The Effect of Jar Holding Posture on Finger Force and Torque during a Jar‐Opening Task for Young Females

Many young females have difficulty opening jars. Although previous studies have attempted to clarify the body posture effect during such a task, the experiments therein focused on a single digit or actions with unnatural finger positions and were further restricted to upper extremity postures. A further study is required to investigate the fingers’ coordination, as well as each subject's natural and self‐selected upper extremity posture and finger grasp location when opening a jar. This study focused on the forces and coordination of the right hand fingers during a jar opening movement under both vertical and free‐way opening postures. A jar simulator was set up to record the forces applied by finger groups (the thumb, the index–middle finger group, and the ring–little finger group) of the right hand. A self‐selected finger position and free‐arm posture of each subject were allowed. Results show that the force vectors of the finger groups were all in the counterclockwise direction for both postures. The total force and overall torque of the right hand decreased in the vertical opening posture. The thumb produced greater tangential and resultant forces in the vertical opening posture. Despite normal forces being 1.82–3.54 times the tangential forces for both postures, no difference was found for the normal force to tangential force ratio for each finger group between the two opening postures. The index–middle finger group had similar torque contributions for both postures. The torque contribution of the thumb increased (26% and 21% for vertical and free‐way posture, respectively), while the ring–little finger group torque contribution decreased (35% and 42% for vertical and free‐way posture, respectively) in the vertical opening posture. As such, the free‐way opening posture is the better strategy for young females to open a jar. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How wide do you want the jar?: the effect on diameter for ease of opening for wide‐mouth closures

The ease with which a container can be accessed or its ‘openability’ is becoming more of an issue for manufacturers and consumers as the average age of the population increases. Ageing brings with it a range of issues including a loss of strength and reduced dexterity. This paper aimed to look at the relationship between diameter, torque and age for standard consumer closures using a torque‐measuring device. The results of the investigation show that larger‐diameter jars (85 mm) require much higher opening forces than smaller ones (75 mm and below). Smaller jars require lower opening torques, although the force required to open many jars is still higher than many elderly people are able to generate. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

老年人食品包装的易用性设计

老年人食品包装设计未能充分考虑老年人生理和心理上的特殊需求,一般存在难以识别及难以开启等问题。设计师在进行老年人食品的包装设计时,可采用去繁求简、整合设计的方式,使用简单的图形化语言,将零散的信息重组,强化重要信息,设计出老年人易于读取的开口方式,提高包装的易读性;运用提示性设计,在商品包装上有效传达食用方法等说明性文字信息,提升包装的易识别性;对包装结构进行整合,将复杂的结构简单化,强化重要且重复使用的功能结构,突出包装的易拿取性。同时,可在包装中运用符合老年人心理需求的中国传统图案、代表健康长寿的吉祥图案,以及老年人喜爱的＂百子图＂图案等,使老年人形成一种健康、积极乐观的心理暗示。     

The use of uncertainty analysis for the design of container closures

Understanding how easy packaging is to open is becoming a major area of interest for the packaging industry. Designing packaging to meet the direct needs of the consumer has been termed ‘inclusive design’. However, there are differing parameters that may affect the ease of opening a product. This paper outlines how the use of uncertainty analysis coupled with ‘inclusive design’ techniques can help manufacturers understand which parameters are important for product ‘openability’. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

果冻安全包装创新设计

果冻包装的封口难以被开启,椎体形态的果肉极易被噎导致窒息,且不便食咬,警示信息无实效作用等,对消费者存在安全隐患.运用TRIZ理论提出对果冻包装安全创新设计,使其包装封口由顶面揭开式改为顶面内圈式或底侧面拉链式开启,方便且果肉不易被整体吸入,果肉分割成小块便于食咬,警示信息图文并茂易于认知等,确实保障消费者食用果冻的安全与健康.     

Low O2 Master Bag for Beef Patties: Effects of Primary Package Permeability and Structure

The contribution of the structure and permeability of case‐ready units on the colour changes of ground beef patties during low O₂ storage in master bags, aerobic blooming and display life was investigated. We selected the following case‐ready solutions: PVC 8000 + closed‐cell expanded polystyrene (EPS) tray, PVC 20000 + closed‐cell EPS tray, linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) 26000 + closed‐cell EPS tray and PVC 20000 + open‐cell EPS tray. Patties packaged onto a closed‐cell tray and wrapped with PVC 20000, but never stored in master bag, were taken as a control. We monitored oxygen depletion in the headspace of the master bags, the microbiological indexes and the appearance of the patties (colorimetric measurements and scanning images). During the storage in master bags, the use of a very high permeability wrapping film and an open‐cell EPS tray allowed the best colour stability of the bottom and upper sides of patties through 7 days. After master bag opening, the same combination of materials favoured the blooming of the upper surface pigments of the product and the stability of the oxygenated pigments during the display life. Moreover, the open‐cell trays helped in reducing the discolouration of the bottom side of patties. Hence, this low O₂ master bag system can enhance the colour stability of ground beef patties and therefore extend their distribution life. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dichtheitsprüfung

Leakage Tests — Flexible packaging in food processing and pharmaceutical industry Extended storage life for food products or better protection against environmental influences increases the demand for more accurate leak detection methods. Flexible, and therefore more fragile packaging is even more complicated when it comes to the commonly required non destructive leak testing. The main focus when testing flexible packaging is on welded seams. They represent the weakest point in flexible packaging. Today, there are several leak detection methods used to perform tests on flexible packaging. The most common ones are waterbath, pressure/vacuum decay and tracer gas based leak detection. All of which have their strength and weaknesses wheras the desired reject leak rate is mostly influencig the decision process. To measure very small leaks (<10 μ oder 10^‐5 mbar l/s) or to enable very short test cycles, trace gas leak detection is the way to go. On top of high accuracy, tracer gas leak detection also allows the precise localization of the leak. Nevertheless, the mechanical stress applied to the flexible packaging due to the vacuum required for tracer gast testing is not an easy task to cope with.     

Capturing the User Mindset – Using the Online Research Community Method in Packaging Research

The rapid development of Web 2.0 technology has enabled new types of online research methods. The collective intelligence of online communities or ‘crowds’ can be harnessed to contribute actively to bodies of knowledge, work or value by means of crowdsourcing. This paper presents a case study of using a crowd‐based research method, more specifically, an online research community (ORC) for collecting information, user experiences and ideas from a community of packaging users. We will discuss the benefits, challenges and opportunities that the method offers to packaging research. A total of 137 participants were recruited to a closed online platform, with 86 of them as active participants. The discussion topics and tasks were pre‐determined by the researchers, and new topics were introduced daily over a period of 13 days. The discussions were moderated in order to keep them on topic and to propose additional questions when required. The platform suited well for gathering user information, feedback and insights on various packaging designs and development topics. The case study also demonstrated that the ORC method can provide valuable insights on usability, packaging communication, consumer behaviour and user experiences. The research yielded rich data, even on such a complex issue as the relation of packaging to food loss prevention. The method can be employed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from a crowd. However, answers provided by individual participants may remain less grounded and less rich in detail than those elicited with other qualitative methods, such as interviews or focus groups. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Packaging information needed for evaluation in the supply chain: the case of the Swedish grocery retail industry

The proper use and exchange of the right packaging‐related information in a grocery supply chain is critical to achieve an efficient and responsive packaging logistics system. The use of well‐defined packaging‐related information that is available for all actors in the supply chain also facilitates an integrated and supply chain‐orientated packaging development. The objective of this paper is to describe and identify the packaging‐related information used in the grocery retail industry. The paper also describes and analyses how the information is used in the supply chain, with focus on the packaging evaluation process. Case and field studies involving six companies from the Swedish grocery industry were conducted to identify the parameters used and shared among them. The paper discusses what kind of information is required to properly evaluate a packaging concept, what parameters are missing and how the information should be used in the supply chain. Finally, the paper suggests a procedure for packaging logistics performance with required parameters. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transportation,handling, and microbial growth performance of molded fiber and expanded polystyrene apple trays

Washington State apples are shipped all over the United States for retail sales. Adequate packaging is needed to minimize apple damage during distribution. Two common materials used for apple trays are expanded polystyrene (EPS) and molded fiber (MF). A recent industry change from MF to EPS trays provoked an interest in exploring the performance difference between the two. Distribution environment hazards include shock, vibration, and compression forces. Prior work has focused only on comparing vibration or shock performance of EPS and MF trays used in protecting apples. In this study, a variety of typical hazards encountered between case pack and retail preparation are considered on a larger sampling scale. The shock, vibration, and interlayer dynamic compressive forces are simulated as well as free‐fall drops possible with manual handling of the cases. A novel device and test method is developed to simulate the forces because of human hands removing trays of apples from the case at retail. Further, a microbial analysis of worst case apple condensation is performed to compare the tray materials effect on apple microbial populations. It is concluded through physical and microbial testing that there is no statistical difference in the physical protection or the growth of microbial populations between EPS and MF apple trays. Most significant tray damage is observed in the EPS trays because of free‐fall drop testing. Apple tray material selection can be shifted to other factors such as cost or consumer preference.     

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.     

Shelf life extension of fresh asparagus using modified atmosphere packaging and vacuum skin packaging in microwavable tray systems

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is one of the most popular vegetables because it contains a wealth of fiber and several essential nutrients. It is a very perishable commodity due to its very high respiration rate. To maintain product quality and to satisfy consumer demand as a convenient food, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), vacuum skin packaging (VSP), and microwaveable containers were used to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut asparagus as a ready-to-eat food product. The objective of this study was to determine the shelf life of fresh-cut asparagus packed in MAP and VSP microwaveable tray systems at commercial storage conditions, 4°C, 80% RH. Weight loss, moisture content, O₂/CO₂ concentration in the package headspace, product pH, microbial growth, and sensory evaluation were used to determine the product quality and shelf life. Moreover, the preference of product appearance and the quality of the cooked asparagus in both microwaveable tray systems at different cooking times and microwave power levels was also sensorially evaluated. During storage for 21 days, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in weight loss, moisture content, and pH. Sanitation and packaging techniques also helped to retard the microbial growth. Both techniques, combined with refrigeration, help to maintain the freshness and product shelf life up to 21 days for MAP and 18 days for VSP. On the basis of hedonic scale results, consumers preferred the appearance of both packaging types. Both microwavable tray systems, thus, can help to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut asparagus and can be eaten directly from the package.     

Food packaging in the next millennium

The changing demands of the consumer over the last 50 years are reviewed. The resultant changes in packaging required to meet these demands are considered, particularly for fast‐food outlets, ‘smart shopping’ where food is ordered and delivered direct to the home and other types of electronic shopping. The changes needed in packaging materials and processes and in transport packaging are assessed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Better Posture Strategy for Fingertip Force and Finger Coordination during a Daily Activity

An effective jar opening movement requires not only the complex integration of the thumb and fingers but also good body segment coordination dependent on the body posture. However, few studies have focused on the effect that jar opening posture has on the finger force integration when the fingertips are grasping the jar in their natural positions, rather than fixed ones, and few have considered the role of the global motor in this task. Forty‐two healthy young subjects participated in this study and performed the jar opening movement using a custom instrument with three opening postures. The results showed that the resultant force and overall torque of the right hand significantly increased from the vertical to the off‐table posture. The thumb produced the greatest resultant, tangential and normal forces when the off‐table posture was used. Further, the average normalized normal forces of the thumb and middle–ring–little finger group were greater for the off‐table posture than those for the vertical posture, whereas no difference was found for the index finger. The normal forces were 3.02–3.36 times greater than the tangential forces for the three finger groups. The thumb had the greatest torque contribution and produced the same torque contributions for all the three postures. The torque contributions of the index finger and the middle–ring–little finger group were 0.56–0.96 times smaller than that of the thumb. This study found a better posture strategy for the young subjects to open a jar with the off‐table posture while sitting, and this was also the best opening posture when comparing the overall torque in this work with that reported in previous studies, no matter whether the subjects were standing or sitting or whatever type of finger group was defined. However, the effect of grasp type and the middle, ring and little fingertip force need to be clarified in future studies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Packaging's Role in Minimizing Food Loss and Waste Across the Supply Chain

This paper presents the results of Australian research that explored the role of packaging in minimizing food waste in the supply chain. The economic, social and environmental costs of food waste have been well documented elsewhere. This research contributes to the debate by identifying opportunities to reduce or recover food loss and waste through improved packaging. In the fresh produce sector, e.g. waste can be reduced through the use of packaging that improves product protection, ventilation and temperature control. Other opportunities include improved design of distribution packaging to reduce damage in transport and handling; design of primary packaging to reduce waste in the home, e.g. through appropriate portion sizes and by reducing confusion over date labels; and the use of retail‐ready packaging that minimizes handling and improves stock rotation in stores. An important conclusion of the study is that packaging can have a significant impact on reducing food waste in the food supply chain; and in some cases, a focus on reducing food waste will require more rather than less packaging. Packaging developers must therefore consider the product and its packaging as a complete system to optimize sustainability. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

Comparative Measurements of Pressurised Metered Dose Inhaler (pMDI) Stem Displacement

A technique was developed to enable direct measurement of a pressurised metered dose inhaler actuation cycle. Three commercially available 250 μg.dose^?1 beclomethasone diproprianate formulations were chosen for analysis; Becloforte (Glaxosmithkline, Sussex), Clenil Forte (Chiesi, Parma, Italy), and BDP-Modulite (Chiesi-Glaxosmithkline). The compression cycle of each device was analyzed and the point of drug actuation (force at which drug was released as an aerosol) was determined. Quantitative analysis of three devices from each product suggested no significant variation in inter-batch actuation force (ANOVA, p < 0.05) (N?=?3). Interestingly, a significant variation between product type actuation force was observed (ANOVA, p < 0.05) (N?=?3). Actuation forces ranged from 22.33 N ± 1.44 N for Becloforte to 31.12 N ± 2.73 N for Clenilforte. In general, such observations suggested a maximum difference of 8.7 N between the two extremes, equivalent to a 39% increase in force required to receive a dose.