24th February 2023
The increasingly massive amount of food packaging used every year around the world has a detrimental effect on the environment. Common packaging materials like plastic take a very long time to decompose and often end up in landfills or oceans, polluting the environment.
That's why eco-friendly food packaging has become the focus now, more than ever before. In this blog post, we look at some of the latest eco-friendly food packaging innovations that have the potential to make a big difference.
Sustainable Packaging Materials
Making an excellent alternative to traditional packaging materials is sustainable packaging that includes plant-based plastics, recycled paper or cardboard, and biodegradable materials.
While plant-based plastics are renewable and biodegradable, they need a lot of water and land to produce. Recycled paper and cardboard are readily available and cost-effective, but they may not be suitable for products that need to be stored for long periods.
Biodegradable materials like starch-based polymers are a great eco-friendly option because they can break down naturally in the environment.
Edible Packaging
This is a relatively new concept that involves packaging food products in materials that are safe for human consumption, called edible packaging.
The materials used include seaweed, starches and sugars. Edible packaging boasts of numerous plus points like reducing food waste by extending the shelf life of products and eliminating the need for preservatives & other additives.
Companies can also use edible packaging as a marketing tool to promote their eco-friendliness. However, there are potential challenges and limitations associated with edible packaging. For example, it may not be suitable for all types of food products, and it may require special storage conditions to prevent spoilage.
Smart Packaging
Next up, we have here an innovative eco-friendly packaging solution known as smart packaging that uses e-indicators and RFID tags to monitor the condition of food products during storage and transportation.
Smart packaging benefits businesses by reducing food waste and alerting consumers of food products nearing the expiration date, and it can also improve safety by detecting potential contamination or spoilage.
However, smart packaging technologies can be expensive to implement and may require additional training for employees to use effectively.
Reusable Packaging
A logical step towards sustainability surely involves exploring the use of durable containers that can be reused. This reusable packaging solution includes glass jars, metal containers and cloth bags as options.
Using reusable packaging can help reduce waste and promote sustainability by eliminating the need for disposable packaging materials. Reusable packaging also helps reduce the huge amount of waste generated due to disposable packaging.
Conclusion
Eco-friendly food packaging is crucial in reducing waste and promoting sustainability. The innovative packaging solutions mentioned here are excellent alternatives to conventional packaging materials used around the world today.
Businesses and individuals need to prioritise sustainable packaging choices to reduce waste and preserve the environment for future generations. With these eco-friendly packaging innovations already here in 2023, there's no better time to switch to sustainable food packaging.
