Environmental tool evaluation and databased benchmarking of sustainable packaging materials for Micvac technology

Abstract: In recent years, microwave applications in the food products have attracted increasing attention by the food packaging industry and the consumers due to their convenience, low energy and water usage and short processing time giving them a sustainable advantage over competing technologies. In-pack pasteurization represents one of the fastest developing technologies in preparing and delivering safe and high quality ready-to-eat meals. Besides playing a fundamental role in preserving food products and reducing the environmental impact caused by food waste, packaging materials affect the environment during their life-cycle. This master thesis has been realized in collaboration with Micvac AB, a Swedish company specialized in ready meals packaging technology. This research aims to analyse the environmental impact performance of five selected packaging solutions which are suitable for use in microwave. To achieve this purpose, the author utilized an environmental tool founded on a tool designed in a previous study, which was progressively developed based on the conditions and specific requirements of the investigated value chain. Food manufacturers and retailers were interviewed to gather information on their requirements and environmental strategies. Additionally, ready meals market data trends were collected from Lund University databases. These sources were integrated into some main findings which support the development and expansion of monomaterials in the food packaging industry. Among five evaluated solutions in this study, the monomaterials options performed the best in the evaluation tool, particularly the monoPP solution which received the highest score. This indicates an opportunity for the actors in the analysed supply chain to decrease their environmental impact, especially considering the anticipated EU legislative approval of recycled content for packaging in food contact.