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Food products packaging

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Ķīmi2018, Food Organic Chemistry

PārZ1012, Fundamentals of Food Science II

PārZ1013, Food Law

Course abstract

The aim of the study course is to provide general knowledge about of food and beverage packaging materials and its functions, legal requirements and the latest trends in packaging development. Packing materials (paper, metal, glass, polymers and composite materials), their forms. Labels and their bonding equipment. Packing equipment. Packing in air and in modified environment - vacuum (VP); modified atmosphere (MAP) and equilibrium modified atmosphere (EMAP). Active and biodegradable packaging. Transport packaging. Processing and management of used packaging.
Laboratory works, practical works and seminars will give practical skills to evaluate packaging materials.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding of the packaging industry, packaging materials. Able to explain the key concepts and regularities of packaging industry - laboratory works; practical works; seminars; Test 1.
2. Practical knowledge and ability to orient themselves in packaging types, manufacturing processes of forms and implementation of packaging technologies in food production - laboratory works; practical works; seminars; Test 2.

3. Competence: able to select and analyze packaging materials, packaging processes and the latest packaging technologies in developing new products and extending their shelf-life - Test 3; homeworks, laboratory works; practical works; seminars.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introduction. The definition and functionality of packaging materials (lecture – 1h, laboratory works – 2h).
2. Characterisation of polymers, which are used for manufacturing food packaging (lectures – 1h, laboratory works – 2h).
3. The synthesis of polymers: polymerization and polycondensation reactions (lecture – 1h).
4. The products of polymerization and polycondensation reactions (lecture – 1h, laboratory works – 2h).
5. The types of food packaging films. The obtaining methods of food packaging films. Biodegradable polymers for food packaging (lecture – 1 h, laboratory works– 2 h).
6. Glass, metals and paper as packaging materials for food products (lecture – 1 h, laboratory works – 2 h). Test 1 – The characterisation of food packaging materials.
7. Development of food packaging industry, trends and legislation (lecture –1h ).
8. Forming and filling of packaging (polymer, metal, glass, paper and cardboard) (lectures –1h, practical works– 2h).
9. Caps, covers and closing. Labels, their bonding equipment (lecture –1h).
10. Packaging in the modified environment Test 2: Packaging forms, packaging design principles, analysis of their use and consideration of appropriate solutions (lecture –1h, practical works – 3h).
11. Innovations in the field of food packaging. Possibility of using active and biodegradable packaging (lecture –1h, practical works – 1h).
12. Recycling and management of used packaging. Transport packaging solutions. Logistics Test 3: Packaging solutions for packaging innovative products (lecture –1h, seminars – 2h).

13. Presentation of homework and discussions about consumers' attitude to packaging and ways of optimizing packaging (laboratory works– 2h).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Formal test (grade), where the grade consists of:
Independent work report, on the basis of which the student obtains a positive evaluation (accounting for 60% of the grade).
All three tests are successfully written (at least 4 points). All practical works and laboratory works are completed, all laboratory reports and homework assignments have a positive evaluation (accounting for 40% of the grade).

All tests, lab works, homeworks must have a positive evaluation in order to be able to defend the report.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1st homework. Students conduct a questionnaire of 30 respondents in order to find out their knowledge and opinion on food packaging (submision of questionnaire results in electronic format).
2nd homework. Package recycling, volume reduction / optimization options (at least 4 pages, submitted electronically).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

A colloquium consists of multiple choice and open-ended questions, it evaluates in the 10 point scale. In an each question has showed a maximal available points. The colloquium is successfully written if students get minimally 4 points. If the evaluation is lower than previously set, students should write the colloquium repeatedly (in this case the average evaluation of colloquium is summarized from both colloquiums (unsuccessfully and successfully written)). A laboratory work is evaluated as a pass.

Compulsory reading

1. Čakste I. Iesaiņojuma materiālu ķīmija. Mācību līdzeklis. Jelgava: LLU, 2008. 112 lpp. Ir LLU FB 85 eks.
2. Dukaļska L. Pārtikas produktu iepakošanas tehnoloģija. Jelgava: LLU PTF, 2003. 670 lpp. Ir LLU FB ~125 eks.
3. Dukaļska L., Muižniece-Brasava S. Progresīvās iepakojuma tehnoloģijas pārtikas industrijā. Jelgava, LLU, 2012. 192 lpp. Ir LLU FB 30 eks.

4. Robertson G.L. Food Packaging: Principles and Practice. 3rd Edition. CRC Press, 2012. 733 p. Nav LLU FB. Ir LNB

Further reading

1. Dukaļska L., Muižniece-Brasava S. Biodegradējamie iepakošanas materiāli pārtikas industrijā. Jelgava: LLU, 2008. 104 lpp. Ir LLU FB ~205 eks.
2. Helstrom D., Olsoon A. Managing Packaging Design for Sustainable Development: A Compass for Strategic Directions. Chichester, UK: Wiley. 2017. 240 p. Nav liel. b-kās
3. Pethrick R.A. Polymer structure characterization: from nano to macro organization. Cambridge, RSC Publishing, 2007. 334 p. Ir LLU FB 1 eks.

Periodicals and other sources

1. The magazine Tara i upakovka [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 10.09.2020.]. Pieejams: http://www.magpack.ru/en/win/soderj.html
2. Bioplastic Magazine [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 10.09.2020.] . Pieejams: https://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/index.php

3. The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 10.09.2020.]. Pieejams: https://europen-packaging.eu/about-us.html

Notes

Compulsory study course in the academic bachelor's study programm "Food Quality and Innovations".