How much has the world of fruits and vegetable packaging changed?
The new packaging method
In 1795, Emperor Napoleon, concerned about the sustenance of his army, established a prize of 12,000 francs for anyone who proposed a new method of preserving food. This prize remained unclaimed for 15 years until Nicolas Appert won it. His innovative technique, which involved boiling food and subsequently sealing it in airtight glass containers, proved highly effective in preserving food over time — a method that still endures today but has undergone continuous updates.
In recent years, the food packaging industry has shown a growing focus on sustainability, efficiency, and innovation, with a particular emphasis on fresh products such as salads. Consumer demands for more eco-friendly and practical packaging solutions have led to various innovations in the sector.
Materials and Updates
Key trends and innovations include:
1. Sustainable Materials: companies are increasingly adopting biodegradable and compostable packaging materials, reducing the use of non-recyclable plastic. Materials like PLA (polylactic acid), bioplastics, and sustainably sourced paper are gaining popularity.
2. Functional Design: packaging is becoming more functional, offering easy-open and close solutions, reducing food waste, and ensuring prolonged preservation of fresh products.
3. Smart Labels: smart labels are emerging as an innovative technology in the packaging industry. These labels provide information about the freshness of the product, allowing consumers to monitor the state and storage of salads and other fresh foods in real-time.
4. Environmental Footprint Reduction: companies are working to reduce the environmental impact of packaging by optimizing material dimensions and weight to cut transportation costs and carbon emissions.
5. Reusable Packaging: reusable and recyclable packaging solutions are becoming increasingly popular, encouraging repeated use and waste reduction.
The materials currently considered most optimal for compliant packaging include:
- Bioplastics and Compostable Materials: the food packaging industry is shifting towards the use of bioplastics and compostable materials derived from renewable sources. Materials such as PLA (polylactic acid), cornstarch, PET, PP, and HDPE are recyclable and used for bottles, containers, and protective films, providing a more ecological alternative to conventional plastics.
- Sustainable Paper and Cardboard: solutions based on paper or cardboard from sustainably managed forests are gaining popularity. These materials are easily recyclable and biodegradable.
- Aluminum: lightweight yet durable, protective against light, moisture, and odors. Commonly used for beverage and food containers.
- Glass: a non-porous material that does not chemically react with food, maintaining freshness and quality. Used for bottles, jars, and containers.
Material choice depends on the specific application, existing regulations, and environmental impact. There are specific standards and regulations for food packaging that govern the safe use of materials without compromising food quality or safety.
For instance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States regulates the use of materials for food packaging to ensure they are safe for food contact. Companies are constantly seeking packaging solutions that are more sustainable, reducing the use of non-recyclable materials and disposable plastic, and aiming for more eco-friendly and innovative solutions to decrease environmental impact.
In citing emerging technologies, smart labels with freshness sensors cannot go unnoticed as an innovative technology in the packaging industry. These sensors provide real-time information on the product’s condition, enabling consumers to assess its freshness.
Another crucial technology is barcodes and QR codes, representing key tools in the packaging and food distribution sector to provide detailed information to consumers. These codes are used to add informative labels such as traceability, detailed information, consumer engagement, food safety (not overlooking the importance of “shelf life,” the period during which a product can be stored, sold, and consumed while maintaining quality and safety), and future trends, allowing greater traceability and awareness regarding consumed products. The main objective of these codes is to increase transparency and information, enabling consumers to make more conscious and informed choices about the products they purchase, while promoting traceability throughout the entire production and distribution chain.
Product Design
Product design must also be functional and innovative; hence, vacuum packaging is discussed. Such solutions help preserve food freshness, minimizing waste, and containers with separate sections allow for keeping ingredients separate, maintaining the freshness and quality of salads or other fresh food products until consumption.
Sustainability and Environmental Footprint Reduction
Companies are increasingly focusing efforts on reducing the environmental impact of their packaging, using recyclable materials, reducing packaging size and weight, and adopting eco-friendly production practices. The fresh food packaging sector, such as salads, is undergoing a transformation period driven by attention to sustainability and innovation. Companies are adopting innovative materials and designs to meet the needs of environmentally conscious and attentive consumers while preserving the integrity and freshness of food products. The latest trends in salad packaging aim for increasingly sustainable, functional solutions suitable for reducing environmental impact, promoting a more eco-friendly vision of the industry.
This is the belief and practice of Naddeo, which has always committed to ensuring excellent quality results while respecting innovation and sustainability.
