LV EN RU DE FR

Packaging and Design

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Ķīmi1010, Organic Chemistry I

Ķīmi2006, Organic Chemistry II

Replaced course

PārZ3090 [GPAR3091] Packaging and Design

Course abstract

Students get acquainted with the general characteristics 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.

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  seminars/practical work; laboratory works; 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  seminars/practical work; laboratory works; 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; seminars/practical work; homeworks, laboratory works.

Course Content(Calendar)

Full-time and part-time studies.

1. Introduction. General characteristics of polymers used in the production of food packaging (lectures – 1h, laboratory work – 4h).
2. The synthesis of polymers: polymerization and polycondensation reactions (lecture – 1h).
3. The products of polymerization and polycondensation reactions (lecture – 1h, laboratory work – 2h).
4. Biodegradable polymers for food packaging (lecture – 1h, laboratory work – 4h).
5. Types of films for packaging food products and methods of their production (lecture – 1h, laboratory work – 2h).
6. Glass, metals and paper as packaging materials for food products Test 1 – The characterisation of food packaging materials (lectures – 1h, laboratory work – 4h).
7. Development, trends and legislation of the food and beverage packaging industry (lecture – 1h; seminars/practical work – 2h).
8. Forming and filling of packaging (metal, glass, paper and cardboard) forms (lecture – 2h, laboratory work – 4h).
9. Forming and filling of polymer packaging materials (lecture – 1h, laboratory work – 2h).
10. Packaging design (lecture -1h; seminars/practical work – 2h)
11. Caps, covers and closing. Labels, their bonding equipment (lecture – 1h).
12. Packaging in a changed environment. Test 2: – Packaging shapes, principles of packaging, analysis of their use and consideration of suitable solutions (lecture – 1h, laboratory work – 4h; seminars/practical work – 2h).
13. Innovations in the field of packaging. Possibilities of using active and biodegradable packaging (lecture – 1h, seminars/practical work – 2h).
14. Digitalization of the packaging industry (lecture – 1h)
15. Recycling and management of used packaging. Transport packaging solutions. Logistics. Test 3: Packaging solutions for packaging innovative products (lecture – 1h, seminars/practical work – 2h).

16. Presentation of homework and discussions on consumer attitudes towards packaging and ways to optimize packaging (seminars/practical work – 4h).

Requirements for awarding credit points

The exam is graded with a mark, where the grade is formed:
1. Independent work report, on the basis of which the student obtains a positive evaluation (accounting for 60% of the grade).
2. All three tests are successfully written (at least 4 points), Counted towards all seminars/practical work, all laboratory works are completed, all laboratory reports and homework assignments have a positive evaluation (accounting for 40% of the grade).

In order to be able to defend the report, all tests, laboratory work, seminars/practical work, homework must be included.

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. Report - 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.
2. Dukaļska L. Pārtikas produktu iepakošanas tehnoloģija. Jelgava: LLU PTF, 2003. 670 lpp.
3. Dukaļska L., Muižniece-Brasava S. Progresīvās iepakojuma tehnoloģijas pārtikas industrijā. Jelgava, LLU, 2012. 192 lpp.
4. Robertson G.L. Food Packaging: Principles and Practice. 3rd Edition. CRC Press, 2012. 733 p.
5. Iepakojuma dizains – iepakojuma pārstrādei. Starptautiskās rekomendācijas aprites iepakojuma dizainam. 2023. [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 25.11.2023.] . Pieejams: https://worldpackaging.org/Uploads/2023-04/ResourcePDF53_1681451834.pdf

Further reading

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

Periodicals and other sources

1. Bioplastic Magazine [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 20.03.2025.] . Pieejams: https://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/index.php

2. The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 20.03.2025.]. Pieejams: https://europen-packaging.eu/about-us.html

Notes

Compulsory course for full- and part-time students of the second-level professional higher education study program "Food Technology".