Whether it’s made from glass, plastic, metal, paper or bamboo, packaging plays an important role in keeping food fresh, ensuring it is safe as well as extending its shelf-life to reduce loss and waste.
In primary packaging, or packaging which comes in direct contact with food, plastic is very common, being lightweight, flexible and comparatively low cost. While some plastics can be easily recycled and reused, others cannot, and, as we know, the impact of plastic on the environment is huge when it is not reused or recycled.
At the same time, food loss and food waste also carry a huge environmental burden. Lost and wasted food means a loss of all the resources that go into making it, such as water, soil, energy and more. Using adequate packaging to avoid losses and waste of food products can benefit the environment more than not using packaging at all.
A circular approach is key. Circular packaging solutions focus on a reduce-reuse-recycle approach, including minimising single-use plastic, encouraging the reuse and recycling of materials and improving the economics and quality of recycled plastic materials.
Here are four better packaging solutions we can leverage to reduce food loss and waste:
1) Re-useable packaging
Food loss is the decrease in the quantity or quality of food up until the retail stage. Poor bulk packaging or improper handling along the supply chain are amongst the main causes of damage and decay. In the case of fruits and vegetables, losses resulting from compression and abrasion tend to be highest during transport. This compromises the quality and economic value of fresh produce. The use of appropriate packaging can significantly reduce these losses, protecting produce in transit, and ultimately reducing the carbon footprint of food.
For example, in South and Southeast Asian countries, losses in the traditional banana supply chain averaged at around 29 percent. Bananas are delicate and easily damaged during transport, leading to unsightly bruises and more rapid decay on ripening. FAO introduced good post-harvest management practices together with reusable bulk packaging materials such as plastic crates for use during transportation. The plastic crates provide a much higher level of protection by absorbing shock during transport, while the use of locally available crate-liners such as leaves, straw and newspaper reduce abrasion damage.
The fruit arrived in markets blemish-free and fetched higher prices due to their better overall appearance and quality. This improved packaging reduced losses in the supply chain by up to 61 percent. After use, plastic crates are returned to the harvest site, cleaned and reused for subsequent harvests. Maintained properly, these crates can be used for up to 10 years, meaning their carbon footprint is minimal.
