Packaging per Prodotti Carnei Affettati: una Sfida di Sostenibilità

Conventional packaging for cured meat products relies on fossil-based, multi-material packaging systems due to their excellent functional properties. However, these materials pose sustainability challenges, because of their origin from non-renewable sources and their non-recyclability on a large scale, contributing to massive plastic waste generation. This Ph.D. project focuses on investigating industrial-level packaging solutions for cured meat products with improved circularity and sustainability and on developing a holistic approach to evaluating the sustainability of food packaging solutions. The study is based on an in-depth analysis of current packaging trends in the market and highlights innovative solutions for cured meat packaging. Based on the information gained after a literature research, conventional and alternative packaging solutions for cured meat products were selected. In this context, nine packaging materials, including tray and lid films, for chilled-MAP products with a potential improvement in sustainability were investigated. In particular, the materials selected were conventional plastic multi-materials, conventional plastic multi-material packaging with a weight plastic reduction, potential recyclable mono-material solutions, i.e., mono-PET and paper-based systems (coupled with a PE-EVOH-PE barrier layer), and bio-based polymers. Overall, the two mono-materials demonstrated the best compromise between the potential sustainability based on the literature and European environmental policies and their functional properties performances (i.e., acceptable mechanical strength and excellent oxygen and carbon dioxide properties). Based on these results, two life cycle assessment (LCA) studies were carried out to investigate the environmental profiles of conventional multi-material and potential recyclable mono-material packaging designed for packaged sliced cooked ham (mono-PET and paper, respectively). Results showed that mono-materials have higher environmental impacts due to the shorter shelf-life compared to the conventional solution, which leads to a greater amount of potential food waste generation. To date, conventional multi-material packaging, despite being a not recyclable complex system, offers the best efficiency in terms of barrier properties and thus adequate shelf-life and reduced food waste. This Ph.D. project highlighted the relevance of adopting a packaging eco-design approach that should involve collaboration between stakeholders, to create packaging that balances functional efficiency, reduced waste, and minimal environmental impact.