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Significant efforts have been made over the past decade to facilitate the recognition of environmentally friendly packaging and promote sustainability. Yet, consumers remain confused by the excess of labels and claims used to communicate sustainability. In our previous work, we modified the appearance of recycled fibre‐based packaging by incorporating visible particles of fibre‐based waste. This strategy enabled consumers to better identify packages with a high recyclability level, enhancing their environmental perception towards sustainable products. However, the incorporation of such large waste particles proved to be detrimental to the mechanical properties of the paperboards. In this study, we further investigate the influence of the physicochemical properties of the added fibre‐based waste on packaging performance. Using a similar strategy to enhance the environmental perception, we herein studied the effect of mixed office waste (MOW), old magazines (OMG), and polylactic acid (PLA) paper cups. The presence of hydrophobic and difficult‐to‐process and difficult‐to‐disperse waste, such as the PLA paper cups, significantly altered the mechanical performance of the paperboards, whereas more hydrophilic and easy‐to‐disintegrate waste (MOW and OMG) had a lesser effect regardless of the size of the particles. Strength agents such as cationic starch (CS) and cellulose microfibrils (CMFs) successfully restored the properties of the paperboards containing MOW and OMG but were less effective for PLA paper cups. A multi‐ply strategy overcame the limitations of CS and CMFs using the redesigned paperboard as an outer ply for aesthetic purposes and a 100% recycled inner ply for restoring strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper and paper board are an ideal choice of packaging material due to their biodegradability. They are safer than commonly used plastic packaging materials. But due to the presence of carbon sources like cellulose and starch in paper, various pathogenic and non‐pathogenic microbes can grow well in them. The migration of microorganisms or their spores from paper to food may cause serious health hazards. Taking consumer concerns into picture, the regulatory authorities should come up for food packaging standards with regard to microbial limits of paper used in food packaging. This study pinpoints the correct approach, that is, the disintegration method in comparison to direct plating in evaluating the microbial load of 14 different samples of paper by demonstrating the limitations of methods that were eliminated. The samples were also tested for storage effect on microbial load and found to have significant reduction in bacterial load during storage at 4°C, but for fungi, it remained nearly unchanged. Further identification of predominating microbes was performed, and conclusions have been drawn on the presence of harmful and harmless species in the samples of paper. It was found that all the identified fungi are mycotoxin producing and may lead to illness of the consumer. Unlike fungi, dominating bacterial strains were found to be non‐harmful for food packaging purposes and ultimately for human use. Overall, there is an immediate need to set microbial limit standards in food packaging paper and paperboard in order to supply safe and hygiene food to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken meat is well known for its high nutritional value. Its shelf life is short, due to the pronounced perishability, even under refrigeration. Paper bags are usually used as packaging materials, due to their biodegradability. The main negative aspect concerning paper is its high porosity and low moisture barrier. In this regard, it has to be coated/modified with efficient moisture barrier materials. The storage of chicken breast meat wrapped in four types of paper‐based materials currently in use in Romania (RO), Italy (IT), Spain (SP) and Slovenia (SLO) is reported. RO and IT are paper coated with polyethylene (PE) film, SP is waxed paper, and SLO is paper modified with hydrophobized starch. The influence of the coating film on the organoleptical, biochemical and microbiological characteristics of the chicken breast meat stored at 4°C was the aim of the study. The mathematical modelling revealed two aspects: (1) the stability period in which the meat safe for consumption is in the range 1.92–2.18 days in the case of all paper types, and (2) cadaverine, the amine generated by protein degradation, is a less sensitive indicator of the meat alteration than microbial growth. The papers coated with PE (RO and IT samples) and with hydrophobized starch (SLO paper) were packaging materials more efficient that the waxed paper (SP sample). The polyethylene film reduced the conversion of putrescine into spermidine in a higher extent than wax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collation shrink film is often used for bundling single packages of consumer goods. Like other plastic films, this type of film is currently under social pressure. Paper could be an environmentally friendly alternative if a suitable type of paper can be applied in such a way that the requirements for manipulation and transport of the bundles are met. In this study, the use of paper for bundling bottles is experimentally investigated. The study focuses on bundles of six PET bottles of 1.5 L containing flat water and sparkling water. Suitability of a paper‐based bundling method is evaluated in terms of rigidity of the bundle and in terms of resistance to horizontal inertial forces that inevitably occur during transport. Behaviour of collation shrink film‐based bundles is taken as a minimum performance level. The study shows that various paper‐based bundling methods can technically qualify as a replacement for collation shrink film and even offer additional benefits. A particular promising concept consists of a band of paper that is stretched around the bottles. It allows lifting the bottles by grasping two caps only, and it beats shrink film regarding resistance to varying horizontal inertia forces. Further research is necessary to optimise the concept and to adopt it for a wider range of products and for industrial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single use packaging is one of the major contributors to environmental issues linked to waste in the environment. Packaging materials often consist of several plastics, which, when combined, are difficult to recycle. One option to reduce these issues are packaging materials for which recycling infrastructure and end markets exist, such as paper. Use of paper in food packaging applications is limited due to poor barrier properties. Enhancing barrier properties without impacting recyclability can be achieved by thin polymeric coatings combined with vapour‐deposited aluminium. Water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of packaging materials is often assessed at 38°C and 90% relative humidity (RH). These conditions, not experienced in the supply chain, may not be optimal for paper as they have the potential to alter the structure of paper by inducing expansion disrupting barrier. This study aims at verifying this hypothesis by evaluating the influence of temperature and RH on the measured WVTR of high barrier paper. Results show that testing such papers at 38°C and 90% RH yields WVTR approximately 10 times higher than when tested at 23°C and 85% RH. The link between this increase and the disruption of the barrier layer is demonstrated by testing samples preconditioned at 38°C and 90% RH and tested at 23°C and 85% RH, depicting an increased WVTR as well. Results suggest that integrity of barrier layer in paper was disrupted at 38°C and 90% RH, and hence, these conditions are deemed inappropriate for testing barrier performance of paper materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag@ceramic composite papermaking pigment was prepared by coating silver onto red ceramic powder using the electroless plating method. SEM and XRD showed that the ceramic pigments have a porous crystalline structure and that silver particles had been successfully loaded onto the surface and into the pores of the Ag@ceramic. Untreated ceramic pigment and Ag@ceramic pigment were incorporated into paper sheets by coating, filling and filling‐coating. Using spinach as an example, the ability of the different papers to preserve food was then evaluated. Four indicators were used to assess the preservative effect of the papers: inhibition of growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, weight loss of the spinach and retention of vitamin C and chlorophyll in the spinach. Although the ceramic preservative paper has no antibacterial properties, it reduced weight loss from the spinach and increased retention of vitamin C and chlorophyll. The antibacterial preservative papers inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus by >99%, and because of their additional antibacterial activity, these papers preserved the spinach more effectively. The experimental results showed that the antibacterial food‐preservative paper incorporating ceramic pigments had great potential in food packing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food is a safety concern. Migration to food from recycled paper and board is a relevant source of MOSH and MOAH, and the potential of several technologies to reduce it was explored. These technologies were assessed for food safety (people), environment (planet) and economy (profit) in an integrated way, using a framework developed to compare the effect of the technologies with the current state of the art. Two mature technologies were evaluated (MB12 and flotation), two in development (supercritical CO2 and thermal treatment), and two as a concept (anionic trash catchers and functionalized clays). The use of mineral‐oil‐free inks for printing newspapers was also evaluated. It was concluded that, although it is desirable to apply mineral‐oil‐free inks, in the short‐term reduction technologies have more impact. All technologies of which the effectiveness could be investigated (MB12, flotation, supercritical CO2 and thermal treatment) are able to reduce the potential migration of mineral oils by >70%, but none score optimally on all indicators. The MB12 technology shows the best overall performance and is ready for implementation, provided its patent will be available to more parties. Supercritical CO2 performs best on food safety, but environmental and economic performance has to be improved. The developed assessment framework yields a clear overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies. Based on the assessment, recommendations are made to stakeholders, including the recycling industry, the ink and printing industry, the food industry and research institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active wrapping papers varied in bio-based coating materials (chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose) and vanillin concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 4.0% (w/v)) were prepared to study their antifungal effects and release properties. Chitosan-coated paper with 1% (w/v) vanillin gave the best inhibition against mycelial growth of mango anthracnose fungi and could inhibit its conidiospores germination. The release of vanillin from a chitosan-coated paper under different conditions of temperatures (13°C, 25°C, and 37°C), relative humidity (RH) (75%, 86%, and 96% RH), and pH values (pH 3.8, 5.2, and 6.2) was studied. Moreover, the vanillin release from the paper to mango fruit under an actual commercial storage condition (13°C, 90% RH) was also investigated. The predominant mechanism of vanillin release under low temperatures (13-25°C) and all RH studied was a Fickian diffusion, whereas the high temperature (37°C) and in all buffers varying pH showed a non-Fickian behaviour. Increasing temperature and RH enhanced in diffusion coefficient (D value) from 78.24 × 10-10 to 162.10 × 10-10 cm2/s and 42.87 × 10-10 to 59.98 × 10-10 cm2/s, respectively. Meanwhile, the increasing pH value reduced the D value from 233.87 × 10-10 to 122.74 × 10-10 cm2/s. The kinetic of vanillin release under an actual wrapping application exhibited a non-Fickian behaviour, and the D value was considerably low (approximately 65.36 × 10-12 cm2/s). The developed active wrapping paper can be great interest for food industry and is practically reasonable for postharvest mango fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focused on the enhancement of paper through the incorporation of a biodegradable and hydrophobic film coating with antioxidant properties. The effects of different lemongrass essential oil (LEO) concentrations (0–12%) on the physical, mechanical, microstructural, water‐resistance, antioxidant and biodegradable properties of gelatine/palm wax/lemongrass essential oil (GPL)‐coated paper were analysed. Uncoated paper was used as a control. The GPL‐coated papers were heat sealable and had significantly (p < 0.05) higher tensile strength and stretchability but lower stiffness than those of the control paper. The GPL‐coated paper incorporated with higher LEO concentrations showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the initial contact angle while also demonstrating significant (p < 0.05) reductions in the Cobb value and water vapour permeability. The GC–MS analysis revealed that LEO was highly dominated by monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and their oxygenated derivatives, supporting that all GPL‐coated papers have a good amount of total phenolic compounds and free radical scavenging activities, which improved significantly (p < 0.05) with higher LEO concentrations. In conclusion, the GPL film coating was capable of improving the physical, mechanical and functional properties of Kraft paper and has the potential to be applied for food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper‐based composite packages, which have been widely used for beverage in modern daily life, are featured of nutrition preservation and convenience. However, it is also causing environmental problems in urban areas because of the low recycling rate. The introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR) is helpful to improving the recycling rate of beverage paper‐based composite packaging by extending the producer's environmental‐protecting responsibility for the product from its production to its end‐of‐life treatment. To find out the optimal strategy of applying the EPR system for beverage paper‐based composite packaging, this paper is conducted based on the basic framework of the EPR system, combined with the specific requirements of the EPR System Implementation Plan promulgated by China and the Implementation Plan of the EPR System for Beverage Paper‐Based Composite Packaging. An evaluation index system for beverage paper‐based composite packaging manufacturers is constructed to perform the EPR system, including three management‐level indicators, 10 standard‐level indicators and 42 programme‐level indicators. A comprehensive evaluation method is introduced to help the producers to fulfill the extended producer responsibility. Results suggest that beverage paper‐based composite packaging producers should first fulfill the responsibility in information disclosure, ecological design and use of recycled materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing emphasis on minimization of global plastic waste, flexible fibre‐based packaging has gained significant interest over the past few years. Heat‐sealing technology is commonly applied for vertical form‐fill‐seal machine to provide tight closure of packages for maintaining food quality and shelf life. Several different seal bar geometries and adequate heat‐seal parameters are required to improve the seal tightness of the packages. This study aims to compare the heat sealability of thermoplastic film (OPP/PE) and paper‐based materials in vertical form‐fill‐seal machine using various seal bar profiles. The investigation includes seal strength measurement, understanding the causes of leak formation, seal tightness and inspection of the seal using scanning electron microscopy. Results reveal that OPP/PE material has exceptional seal strength and leakproof ability compared with paper‐based materials. However, it has limited operating window because the material shrinks and coarsens at approximately 140°C. Sealing temperature and dwell time are found to be the major factors affecting the seal strength of paper‐based material. Results reveal the PE‐coated papers exhibit nearly twice the seal strength compared with the dispersion‐coated paper. It was difficult to achieve good hot‐tack values with dispersion‐coated paper. During testing, all the paper‐based materials experience delamination and fibre tear, and its severity increases with the increasing material grammage. As plateau temperature is reached, the fibre delamination remains relatively constant. The serrated geometry of seal bar design plays a significant role in providing a satisfactory airtight seal, particularly around the pouch's layer jump. However, flat seal bar designs are not recommended for gas tight applications for paper‐based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration model of contaminants from inks on paper packaging to food is developed based on the penetration of ink in paper and Fick's diffusion. The printed paper is divided as ink layer and paper layer. The mass transfer coefficient hm and partition coefficient KF,P in the interface between paper and food are considered in the model. The model equation is solved, and the migration expression is obtained by using the method of separation of variables. The fitting method is used between the model and the migration experimental data to obtain the diffusion coefficients and mass transfer coefficients for dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC). It is found that there exist linear relationships between ln( DP) and 1/ T, and also between ln( hm) and 1/ T for DBP and ATBC. The migrations of DBP in the paper sample 2402 at different temperatures and of ATBC in the paper sample 2401 at 50°C are predicted by using the model, and a good agreement is obtained between the model predictions and the migration experimental data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango fruit is perishable and susceptible to anthracnose. Active‐coated paper is proposed as potential packaging for commercial application in wrapping mango fruit to control anthracnose and delay the ripening process of fruit. The surface of white standard bleached paper was coated using a vanillin‐chitosan coating solution containing varying amounts of zeolite or activated carbon at 0% (vanillin paper), 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4%, w/v of ethylene absorbers. The first objective was to study the effect of absorber types and their amounts on ethylene removal. After that, the coating formulation that provided the highest ethylene removal was selected to wrap commercial Nam Dok Mai mango fruit to study the quality changes. The efficacy of active‐coated paper on the severity index of anthracnose disease, change in physicochemical properties, and sensory acceptability during storage (13°C, 90% relative humidity (RH) for 30 days) were investigated. It was found that vanillin‐chitosan coated paper containing 0.2% (w/v) of zeolite (zeolite paper) exhibited the highest capacity of ethylene adsorption. Zeolite paper could delay the disease incidence of wrapped mango fruit and provided the lowest severity index of anthracnose disease throughout storage. Moreover, changes in physicochemical qualities (weight loss, firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solid, and color) of mango fruits wrapped in zeolite paper was quite low, compared with those wrapped with vanillin and uncoated papers. In addition, mango wrapped by zeolite paper had the highest sensory acceptance score. The results suggest that zeolite paper can efficiently be applied as wrapping to extend the postharvest life of mango fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates a method to quantitatively measure the oleophobicities of food packaging paper via using a tracer‐assisted headspace gas chromatography by adding a 40‐μL droplet of toluene‐doped oil onto a sample surface, wherein toluene behaves as volatile tracer. After 20 s, the sample was turned vertically to remove the oil and placed in a headspace vial. The amount of toluene in the residual oil adhered to the sample surface was quantified using headspace gas chromatography under full‐evaporation conditions. The results exhibit satisfactory precision (RSDs < 2.5%) and provide quantitative information on oleophobicity. The proposed method is simple, efficient and suitable for batch sample testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high humidity produced by the ripening of fruit and vegetables during refrigerated storage and transport leads to a noticeable loss of strength of corrugated board packaging. Increasing use of recycled fibres in the manufacture of corrugated board further reduces box compression strength. Adding virgin fibres to the furnish composition of liner paper could solve this problem. Various proportions of unbleached virgin eucalyptus and pine fibres were added to a recycled furnish used to manufacture liner paper for corrugated board. Laboratory sheets of each fibre blend were characterised by tensile, bursting and compressive strength. The change in the strength properties and moisture content of the sheets during refrigerated storage at 6°C and high relative humidity (90% RH) was also studied. The results showed that paper strength improved with the proportion of virgin fibres added. Pine fibres yielded higher increments than eucalyptus fibres in tensile and burst indices, whereas both fibres improved compression strength at a similar rate. After 4 h of exposure at refrigerated storage, the paper strength properties decreased considerably, in particular compression strength, which showed a loss of about 70% compared to the reference value. The percentage of strength lost compared to the value in standard conditions was influenced only by exposure time at low temperature and high RH. However, an increase in the amount of pine fibres added enhanced the remaining tensile and burst indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel cost‐saving coat was applied on paper sheets to enhance their air, water vapor, and oil resistance to be used in the packaging purposes. This coat is based on new ingredients including core‐shell pigment CoO.ZnO/SiO2, which is composed of silica fume waste comprising 80% of the new pigment covered with the chemically and thermally stable binary oxide of CoO.ZnO with very low cobalt oxide content. This pigment was bind to the cellulosic fibers using sodium alginate, which is now broadly used due to its high oil resistance and enhanced grease proof properties. The addition of this novel coat to paper sheets changed drastically their mechanical and barrier properties rendering them with higher air, water vapor, and oil resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible packaging materials consisting of several layers of very dissimilar materials are currently considered for replacement by multilayer polyolefin films as well as functional flexible paper materials to improve recyclability. Such materials however lead to new challenges in processing on existing packaging machinery. This paper focuses on the sealing process of such materials, especially looking at pillow pouches and the challenges occurring at the junction between cross and fin seals where the total thickness jumps from two to four layers. It is shown that the application of conventional machinery and sealing tools does not lead to a gastight seal within the operational sealing window of such materials. The origin of the permanent failure is the lack of material fraction capable to flow as a viscous melt into the gap at the fin seal. The limited compressibility of the nonmelting materials and their bending stiffness tend to increase the gap. In case of paper, a flexible sealing jaw, equipped with an elastic insert, enables a focused application of pressure at the layer jump of a poorly compressible material. This results in clearly improved gas tightness of all selected materials in the range of the used test methods (leak size 10 μm). The leakage rate of papers was reduced from 3–4 mbar·l/s with rigid tools to 1 mbar·l/s with flexible tools. The leakage of 2 mbar·l/s with OPP/CPP material could be prevented and no leaks were detected. With OPP/PE, leak‐proof results were obtain within reduced temperature at 140°, which is near the level of acceptable seal quality with low shrinkage effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat sealing behavior of mono‐polyolefins and paper‐based materials is drastically different from conventional multilayer plastic laminates. This paper presents the effect of sealing conditions on Hot‐Tack and Cold‐Tack for an oriented polypropylene (OPP)‐based polyolefin laminate with either polyethylene (PE) or cast polypropylene (CPP) sealing layer and two different barrier paper materials carrying a thin acrylic copolymer sealing layer. The investigations include pressure, temperature, time, jaw pattern, and climate conditions (moisture). It is shown that the mono‐polyolefins reach comparable Hot‐Tack and Cold‐Tack ranges compared with the reference polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐aluminum (Al)‐PE laminate. The CPP laminate exhibits a narrow sealing window near the range in which shrinkage is observed. While for the polyolefins temperature plays the main role, the sealing of paper materials turned out to be dependent on pressure, time, and moisture content in paper. Due to a rupture through the polymer thin coating, the Cold‐Tack is dominated by a delamination of paper and coating. Consequently, the Cold‐Tack is drastically lower than with PET‐Al‐PE laminate. Monopolypropylene films exhibit extremely narrow sealing window, which shall be taken into the design consideration of bag form‐fill‐seal (FFS) machines. Polymer coated paper can be potentially used at high‐speed FFS; however, special attention shall be paid to moisture content control and filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1‐Methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP) has been shown to be a suitable inhibitor of ethylene production in fruit and vegetables during preservation and distribution. In this study, a 1‐MCP controlled‐release system on coated paper was produced using shellac as the coating material. The effect of humidity and temperature on the release of 1‐MCP from the coated paper was investigated using a dynamic sorption system (DVS) with stepwise humidity changes (initial 20% relative humidity (RH) for 2 h, then increased to 40%, 50%, 60%, and 80% RH for 2 h, respectively). The release rate kinetic data were simulated using an Avrami equation with a mechanism release number n of 1.26. The results showed that the dynamic release of 1‐MCP from the coated paper was mainly affected by humidity, for which the release rate constant could be correlated with moisture concentration in humid air. The highest humidity condition (80% RH) resulted in the highest apparent activation energy of 46.8 kJ/mol. The effect of 1‐MCP coated paper on apple storage was evaluated by measuring the ethylene production rate, flesh firmness, and titratable acidity (TA) of apple. Ethylene production rates of apple were significantly affected with 1‐MCP coated paper. The values were 0.22 nL/g FW/h at 50 mg of 1‐MCP powder and 44.7 nL/g FW/h at 0 mg of 1‐MCP powder after 15 days at 4°C and 15 days at 20°C. The other properties of apple such as flesh firmness and TA also indicated that 1‐MCP coated paper could delay fruit softening during storage time. Based on these results, the release of 1‐MCP could be controlled by coating paper with shellac solution and promising to produce functional packaging for fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slip‐preventing materials are often used as tertiary packaging to improve cargo securement and simplify truck loading. There are many national and international standards on their safe usage based on the extra friction they can provide. However, it is challenging to quantify the coefficient of friction (CoF) of slip‐preventing materials. This paper presents CoFs of three slip‐preventing materials and one baseline condition measured on different surfaces and contact pressures. These measurements show interesting phenomena that affect the result variability. For instance, 60% of the pairs of surfaces tested were affected by the contact pressure. Hence, the load of the freight seems to affect performance of the slip‐preventing materials. This interaction happened in different ways such as changes in the friction mode (constant slip and stick slip at difference frequencies and magnitudes). The typical CoF values available in standards as well as standardized measurement methods do not consider very well these effects nor how to deal with high variability of CoF measurements. This can lead to either over or under CoF estimations. To overcome these limitations, this paper presents a statistical method to quantify slip‐preventing material CoFs based on variability and confidence intervals of the measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An airflow‐induced separation method for stacked paper labels is proposed with a stream of compressed air used to jet vertically onto the side of the stacked labels and force constraints applied to the two ends of the labels. Its mechanism is revealed that the viscous force caused by airflow is the main driving force for the initial separation of labels and the vertical force is the main factor for the formation of successive separation channels. Theoretical and experimental analyses are implemented to ensure the effects of airflow velocity, label characteristics, label stress, and other factors on label separation and show that a stable separation gap can be generated with separation efficiency of more than 3600 sheets per minute and reliability of 99.99%. A complete airflow‐induced label separation device is designed, which can be integrated into the existing packaging machine, and the physical feasibility of the stack label separation method is verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the food and pharmaceutical industries move toward more sustainable forms of packaging, paper is experiencing somewhat of a comeback as a packaging material. However, by its very nature paper is rich in volatiles—both with and without significant olfactory impact. Human sensory analysis has long been the benchmark for determining that a product is fit for consumer application. However, sensory analysis is limited in its application due to the high per‐sample cost. Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT‐MS) is an instrumental approach that has potential to rapidly screen paper samples for both sensory and chemical composition attributes in a single broad‐spectrum and sensitive analysis of volatiles. In this study, a combined approach utilizing SIFT‐MS sample analysis with multivariate statistical data processing is evaluated for its ability to distinguish between samples of different paper composition (in particular, virgin, recycled, or mixed fibres), mill of origin (manufacturing mill), sensory odour intensity rating, and sensory odour note. Paper samples from four mills were analysed using instrumental and sensory methods, together with one pulp sample. The key discriminating volatiles varied depending on the classification model but typically included hydrogen sulfide, ethanol, acetone, hexanal, dimethyl sulfide, and formaldehyde. The pulp sample generally exhibited significantly higher concentrations of volatiles—especially methanol and hydrogen sulfide. Because it was so different, it was eliminated from certain models—in particular, for determination of the mill of origin. Chemical analysis with multivariate statistical processing exhibited near‐perfect classification of the fibre type and the mill of origin. Evaluation of instrumental prediction of odour intensity rating and odour note used multivariate statistical analysis to correlate sensory and instrumental results. It was found that concentration data provided superior classification of odour intensity rating and odour note than did odour activity values (compound concentrations divided by their human odour detection thresholds [ODTs]). This result is tentatively attributed to significant uncertainties introduced by literature ODTs and the method's limit of quantitation being higher than the ODT for several compounds. When using SIFT‐MS concentration data—when coupled with multivariate statistical data processing—this preliminary study demonstrates potential for rapid, instrumental determination of the odour intensity rating and odour note traditionally determined using human sensory analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A migration prediction model of residual contaminants from food packaging paper was established on the basis of one-dimensioned Fick's diffusion theory, and analytical solutions were obtained by inducing paper porosity and the adsorption quantity of pollutants. In addition, the migration of the six contaminants, namely styrene, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate and bisphenol A in three kinds of food packaging paper(Kraft, white cardboard and imitation parchment) into different food stimulants was studied. In this study, the diffusion coefficient and the partition coefficient of these six contaminants in those papers were measured by experiments, and the experimental migration data and calculated values based on the model were analyzed. The results show that paper porosity affects the migration of contaminants so significantly that it is necessary to set it as a parameter in the analysis model. The experiment results agreed with the theoretical prediction values when the temperature was set approximately at 25°C. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of two surrogate contaminants, 1-hydroxycyclohexyl-1-phenyl ketone (184) and benzyldimethyl ketal (651), from different paper into different food simulant (10% ethanol, 95% ethanol and isooctane) through different polymer coating low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) was studied. The paper samples were spiked with anhydrous ethanol solution containing the two surrogates and were dried using vacuum dry oven with vacuum degree 0.01 MPa and temperature 55°C and then subjected to migration experiments by using single-sided contact method at 20°C. The concentration of surrogates in 10% ethanol, 95% ethanol and isooctane food simulants were determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector after predisposal. Effect factors on migration were discussed from different aspect such as food simulant, paper property, thickness of polymer coating and type of polymer coating. The results showed that the migration rate was faster in fatty food simulant 95% ethanol and isooctane than in aqueous food simulant 10% ethanol, a thicker LDPE coating delayed the migration process of contaminant, paper with lower density and higher porosity would increase migration speed and the barrier property of PP was far away higher than that of LDPE, even if the thickness of LDPE was thicker a lot than PP. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical survey of 20 paper and board (P&B) materials intended for food use was carried out with the aim to identify chemicals with a potential to migrate into foods. Representative materials covering a range of uses (primary and secondary packaging and article for take away foods) were obtained from distributors. A screening approach was applied by means of solvent extraction with subsequent analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A large number of analytes were detected, and a chemometric approach was used to explore the data. Principal component analysis was used to identify and select some compounds as markers for sample classification. In the corrugated and printed packaging, it is worth emphasizing the presence of residual solvents, probably coming from printing inks, as well as hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds, mainly toluene and plasticizers linked also to the recycled pulp content such as diisobutyl phthalate or diisopropylnaphthalenes, whereas in the plastic-laminated samples, triacetin was identified as the prevailing compound. A literature search for safety data or legislative restrictions of the identified substances was performed. Additionally, the semi-quantification of the compounds in the packaging allowed a worst case estimation of food contamination by means of the infinite total migration model; occasionally, migration estimations overcame the specific migration limits. The chosen analytical methods coupled with a chemometric approach proved to be an effective way to describe the data; it may be concluded that only the simultaneous consideration of several chemicals with a multivariate approach allowed the investigated packaging materials to be distinguished. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A moisture-dependent and temperature-dependent constitutive model for paper materials was proposed and implemented into a finite element model of the paper hydroforming process. Experimental hydroforming was conducted at temperatures of 23°C and 110 °C and moisture contents of 6.9 and 10.6 (respectively corresponding to 50 and 80% relative humidity). The proposed model, which also included the effects of drying, captured the extent of forming of all experimental results within reasonable accuracy. For the moisture content and temperature conditions in this study, the phenomenon of drying was found to be the reason why the application of temperature had a much greater effect on the degree of forming than hydroforming at various moisture contents. A simulation-based parametric study was conducted in order to identify the importance of various process and material parameters. This parametric study confirmed many previous empirical findings and was capable of quantifying the extent to which these process and material parameters affect the three-dimensional formability of paper. The coefficient of friction was identified as one of the most important factors when determining the extent of forming. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trametes versicolor laccase papers were prepared, and their suitability was tested for anticounterfeiting and oxygen indicator concepts in packaging applications. Laccase was coated and printed onto paper with a flexographic ink base, a sulfo polyester resin, Hydro-Rez 1100D (HZ1100D). Laccase remains active on paper with flexographic ink HZ1100D after printing with flexographic press. Colour change of papers was observed when 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) solution was applied to the paper. A strong colour change to dark green was obtained on the papers prepared by coating or printing of laccase with HZ1100D onto EUCA paper. EUCA paper appeared to be well suited for laccase-based indicator applications because it remained rough even after ink deposition, allowing rapid absorption of ABTS solution. Finally, the indicators demonstrated to work as oxygen indicators in a package. Indicator colour was changed when oxygen was leaked to the package. As a conclusion, the laccase papers described here would be well suited for various indicator applications and could be produced using flexographic printing, allowing large scale manufacturing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents 2 mathematical models to predict the initial peak stress and the plateau stress of corrugated paperboard which is simplified and regarded as the orthotropic plate under longitudinal compression. The resultant stress‐strain curve exhibits initial stiffening stage and a long plateau stage, where the initial peak stress determining the edgewise crush resistance of the board and most impact energy will be absorbed by the long plateau stage. By analyzing the elastic buckling of the board wall, a model of predicting the initial peak stress was obtained, while the plateau stress model was developed based on the gradual process of compression for corrugated board and energy conservation principle. Moreover, experiments were carried out to corroborate the presented model by comparing the predicted value with that by experiments, showing overall good agreement. It can be concluded that the proposed models can be applied for design of corrugated containers and cushioning packaging by corrugated paperboard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero Waste (ZW) is a relatively new concept of waste reduction, which encourages life cycle thinking in the design of new products and services. Today ZW is becoming a lifestyle trend and social media amplifies this trend and helps to propagate the movement. The popularisation of the ZW concept through social media can be attributed to Bea Johnson, author of a bestselling book on ZW living. Many tips on how to achieve ZW living in Bea Johnson's book refer to food packaging and packaging materials, and literature shows that global consumers are increasingly concerned about the negative environmental impacts of packaging waste. Given the popularity of ZW lifestyle in social media, this study explores the ZW trend as reported by users of the popular social media platform Twitter through the lens of Bea Johnson's ZW living model, taking into consideration the public concern on packaging and packaging materials. For the purposes of this paper, Twitter discourse on ZW is used to draw conclusions on the popular understanding of its impact and effects. This paper uses Thick Big Data study of the collected 124,077 tweets with #zerowaste hashtag. In the study, it was found that majority of popular tweets with #zerowaste hashtag refer to packaging and food packaging. The majority of tweets focused on plastics, and the sentiment of this packaging material was negative. Other packaging materials found in #zerowaste hashtag tweets include paper, glass and metal, and the sentiment for those materials is gradually more positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four samples of paper and board (P/B) of a type used for packaging dry foods were subjected to migration experiments using raisins and the polymeric powder Tenax as a food simulant. The P/B samples contained only low levels of diisopropylnaphthalene (DiPN) and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), and so, experiments were also conducted after spiking the P/B with added model substances. These were o-xylene, acetophenone, dodecane, benzophenone, DiPN and DiBP. Migration experiments into raisins and Tenax were conducted for 10 days at 40°C. Migration levels depended strongly on the nature of the substance. Migration from spiked P/B samples was more extensive (as a percentage of that available) than migration of intrinsic migratable substances, and so, studying spiked samples tends to be conservative. It is considered likely that this is because of binding of substances, especially aromatics with pi-electrons such as DiPN and DiBP, to active sites on the surface of P/B fibres, resulting in non-linear absorption isotherms. However, further work would be needed to prove this conclusively. Considering the results overall and also that raisins packed in P/B can have a shelf life of up to 1 year at ambient temperatures, the test results using Tenax as a food simulant are considered to be appropriate without application of a correction factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development of a numerical model for an inflatable paper dunnage bag. Dunnage bags are used to fill the voids between cargo, securing the cargo in place. The presented numerical model is developed as a design tool for investigating trends associated with new or modified bags. Modelling considerations are outlined, including the effects of material, geometry and boundary condition non-linearity. An emphasis is placed on the material properties of paper and the material model chosen for this model is discussed. First, the development of a stable generic model is described in detail. The effects of the timescale factor, the load application, the analysis time, global damping, mesh refinement, the Poisson ratio and mass scaling are investigated. Next, the development of a representative model follows, where the process of including the inflation valve, glued seam lines, void constraint size and material model are discussed. Physical testing was performed, and the results were used to validate the numerical model. The validation results indicate that the presented numerical model is accurate enough to be used as a design tool for investigating trends associated with new or modified paper dunnage bags. Numerical modelling of the inflation and static testing of paper dunnage bags are non-trivial operations and have, to the best knowledge of the authors, not been reported in the literature. A secondary goal of this paper is to provide a guideline for future designers that are interested in numerical modelling of paper dunnage bags. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural colorimetric indicators have been fabricated using annatto and pomegranate extract powder and compared with chemical colorimetric indicator fabricated using bromophenol blue (BPB) to monitor the freshness of ready‐to‐cook (RTC) idli batter. The fabricated colorimetric indicator labels work on increasing headspace carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and decreasing pH of stored batter, where indicators showed visible color change from lightest to darkest for spoiled samples. The headspace CO2 concentration of RTC idli batter increased from 0.15 ± 0.05 to 18.07 ± 0.21% (v/v) and pH decreased from 6.7 ± 0.06 to 4.5 ± 0.06 at optimum storage condition (35 ± 1°C) up to 24 h. The percent titratable acidity (% TA) increased from 0.44 ± 0.02 to 0.90 ± 0.02% up to 24 h. The viable lactic acid bacteria count (LABC) and total bacterial count (TBC) increased while yeast and mold count (YMC) was decreased with increasing fermentation time up to 24 h for batter stored at optimum condition. The color change of indicators was quantitatively measured with captured red, green, and blue (RGB) images. Pixel intensity for natural and chemical colorimetric indicators were decreased with increasing fermentation time. The leaching of chemical dye was observed on stored batter, and natural colorimetric indicators are nontoxic and successfully used as "on package sticker" for monitoring freshness of RTC idli batter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerical simulation of paperboard creasing and folding processes is of increasing importance for the design and production of safe and reliable packaging systems. The extreme material anisotropy and the complexity of these processes require however simulation capabilities which are seldom available in commercial codes. Several approaches have been proposed in the literature over the years, in most cases making use of non-linear material models developed ad hoc for this purpose. These models, some of which are very effective and accurate, are not in general available in commercial codes and are often based on the definition of a large number of parameters. In this paper, the possibility to obtain acceptable, first-hand simulation results using only features already available in a commercial code is investigated. An advanced continuum constitutive model, recently presented in the literature, has been used as a reference for tuning the model and for assessing its accuracy. It is shown how standard features, usually available in state-of-the-art commercial codes, can be employed to deal with the extreme material anisotropy, obtaining qualitatively good results in both the creasing and folding phases. The used standard model accounts for the extremely high anisotropy by means of embedded shell elements, playing the role of reinforcements in the fibre direction. The matrix is assumed to be isotropic and elastoplastic, with properties determined based on the behaviour in the thickness direction. The adopted plasticity model is a modified Drucker-Prager model with a cutoff on the tensile pressure side, available in the used commercial code. The procedure adopted for the identification of the small number of required material parameters is also discussed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzophenone (BP) and its derivates are photoinitiators widely used in food packaging to cure inks or lacquers with ultraviolet light on cardboards and papers. Although there is no specific European legislation covering printing inks for food contact use, the European Food Safety Authority published recommendations of a limit of 0.6 mg/kg for the sum of BP and 4-methylbenzophenone. In this study, a method has been devised to test migration levels of BP and BP derivates in foodstuffs. Eleven different paper or cardboard materials were analysed for their BP and derivative contents. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of BP and other 17 derivatives for the first time were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. The method was evaluated by validation parameters such as linearity, repeatability, accuracy and precision values. According to results, maximum values by specific migration test (at 40°C for 10 days, using TENAX) were 10.83 mg/l for BP, 0.53 mg/l for 1-hydrocyclohexylphenylketone, 0.47 mg/l for 4-methylbenzophenone, 0.22 mg/l for 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone and 0.4 mg/l for methyl-2-benzoylbenzoate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past 130+ years of research into the production of corrugated packaging has produced a tremendous wealth of information about the structural dynamics of corrugated boxes in use and in failure. Most of the studies in this area were published in the journals of the paper industry. However, much of the current work on corrugated fiberboard packaging now comes from individuals with a focus on corrugated packaging as a whole rather than on the corrugated paper or structures that comprise the packaging material. Because of the difficulty in accessing or identifying some of the previous art, more recent studies may tread ground well covered by others decades earlier. This review focuses on the process of box compression and the utility of box compression testing, bringing previous work back to the fore to provide useful background for current studies. It examines the conditioning and testing process in detail, discusses the state of the art in compression estimation, and explores various parameters that affect box compression strength that are not captured in most current industry models. It also looks at how box compression results are related to field performance of boxes in unit loads. In the process, it identifies many areas for fruitful new research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper and paperboard are widely used in various types of packaging. Paper-based packaging is a recyclable, biodegradable, renewable and sustainable product, which gives it certain advantages over most plastic-based packaging materials. Although paper-based packaging, in some areas, lacks attractiveness in terms of visual appearance, 3D forming is an important method for producing advanced shapes from paper and paperboard, suitable, for instance, for modified atmosphere packaging. That said, very little is known about the deformations experienced by paper-based materials in 3D forming. Understanding the role played by the mechanical properties of paper and paperboard in the 3D forming process is key to improving performance. This paper presents experimental results obtained using three different forming devices designed to be used with paper-based materials and links the formability data with specific mechanical properties of the paperboard samples. Paperboard properties that were found to correlate with formability were as follows: compressive strength and strain, tensile strain, paper-to-metal friction and out-of-plane stiffness. The requirements for formability are different for the fixed blank forming process and sliding blank forming process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient end-of-life solutions play an important role in developing sustainable packaging because they contribute to reducing resource wastage and environmental impact, whilst providing economic and social benefits. This paper briefly reviews current end-of-life solutions for fibre and bio-based materials for packaging in Europe. It also addresses current research in the field, as well as standardization, legislation and socio-economic aspects related to renewable packaging in Europe. This review focuses on the following groups of packaging materials: paper and board and bioplastics. With this hierarchy, recycling, organic recovery and energy recovery are analysed with regard to the processes and technologies that offer the most sustainable end-of-life options. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-friendly packaging such as moulded pulp products have gained commercial importance in the recent years. However, it remains a greatly under-researched area, and there is an arising need to consolidate the best practices from research and industry in order to increase its implementation. The goal of this paper is to give an overview of the main aspects involved in the manufacture of moulded pulp products. This includes a classification of moulded pulp products, historical and current applications, production processes, materials, mechanical properties and environmental sustainability. Moreover, based on the latest research in the field, an innovative drying technique that utilizes concepts derived from impulse drying is presented, and the implementation of this process technology is discussed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new multi‐cell lattice honeycomb paperboard was designed based on the expansion manufacturing process, aiming to improve the load‐bearing capacity and energy absorption of the honeycomb paperboard. Quasi‐static axial crush experiments were conducted on multi‐cell lattice honeycomb paperboard (MHC) and standard honeycomb paperboard (HC), and the out‐of‐plane crushing response and energy absorption of MHC and HC are compared. The deformation mode of MHC is discussed in detail. A typical folding element is selected, and a theoretical model is developed to predict the plateau stress of the MHC. The results show that under the same structural and cell length dimensions, the peak stress of MHC is 3.3 times higher than that of HC, the plateau stress and energy absorption are 3.9 times higher than that of HC. Under the same relative density conditions, the peak stress of MHC is enhanced by 10% over HC, and the plateau stress and energy absorption are enhanced by 30% and 29%, respectively. The predicted plateau stress from the theoretical model compares well with the experimental values. The great potential for industrial applications of multi‐cell lattice honeycomb paperboard based on an expansion manufacturing process is demonstrated, with minimal modifications to the manufacturing process but with a significant increase in load‐bearing capacity and energy absorption. These results could be used as a reference for the design and improvement of honeycomb structures and other similar structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inefficient packaging constitutes a global problem that costs hundreds of billions of dollars, not to mention the additional environmental impacts. An insufficient level of packaging increases the occurrence of product damage, while an excessive level increases the packages' weight and volume, thereby increasing distribution cost. This problem is well known, and for many years, engineers have tried to optimize packaging to protect products from transport hazards for minimum cost. Road vehicle shocks and vibrations, which is one of the primary causes of damage, need to be accurately simulated to achieve optimized product protection. Over the past 50 years, road vehicle vibration physical simulation has progressed significantly from simple mechanical machines to sophisticated computer-driven shaking tables. There now exists a broad variety of different methods used for transport simulation. Each of them addresses different particularities of the road vehicle vibration. Because of the nature of the road and vehicles, different sources and processes are present in the vibration affecting freight. Those processes can be simplified as the vibration generated by the general road surface unevenness, road surface aberrations (cracks, bumps, potholes, etc.) and the vehicle drivetrain system (wheels, drivetrain, engine, etc.). A review of the transport vibration simulation methods is required to identify and critically evaluate the recent developments. This review begins with an overview of the standardized methods followed by the more advanced developments that focus on the different random processes of vehicle vibration by simulating non-Gaussian, non-stationary, transient and harmonic signals. As no ideal method exists yet, the review presented in this paper is a guide for further research and development on the topic. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal bags with an integrated functional barrier are a promising solution to avoid food contamination from recycled board packaging. The efficiency of the barrier should be measurable by a simple test that appropriately reflects reality. A previously described test, involving four surrogate substances on a donor paper and silicone paper as a receptor in a taped format (Packag Technol Sci. 2014; 27:713-726), was amended to take into account findings on absorption in the internal bag and the board. The combined effects on migration are now calculated as the percentage of the surrogate substances detected in the receptor compared to the amount in the donor. Because recycled paperboard has absorption properties different from paper, and the pressure onto the barrier depends on the concentration rather than the amount, now recycled paperboard is used as donor matrix. The concentration of the surrogate substances in the donor was further reduced. Donors need to be conditioned before use. Three silicone papers and Tenax® as receptors gave similar results. The comparison with foods showed that the migration into silicone paper was higher than that into bread crumbs, but lower than into rice and polenta by roughly a factor of 2, presumably because of the low mass. A detailed description of the method is provided and further validation of various technical aspects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of additional heat treatment on the properties of paperboard electrosprayed with poly(lactic acid) (PLA). For this study, paperboards electrosprayed with PLA at 1%, 2%, and 3% (w/v) were further heat‐treated at 170°C, 180°C, 190°C, and 200°C for 1 minute. Physical properties, such as basis weight, thickness, and colour of electrosprayed paperboards, were investigated. For mechanical properties, folding endurance and bursting strength of treated paperboard was tested. Water resistance property was observed through contact angle, and water absorption was monitored by Cobb test. In addition, water vapour transmission rate tests were also conducted. Surface characteristics were investigated using a scanning electron microscope and roughness tester. After heat treatment, PLA particles on the paperboard surface melted and formed a smoother continuous surface; this contributed to lower water contact angles and significantly lower water absorption. Furthermore, the higher the concentration of PLA, the better the water resistance. Moreover, heat treatment temperature between 180°C and 200°C could significantly improve the water vapour barrier and water resistance properties. Temperature and treatment time could not be further increased, as the electrosprayed paper substrate was damaged and became yellowish. In addition, for the mechanical properties, an increase in the heat treatment temperature improved the bursting strength; however, a reduction in folding endurance was observed, because the melted PLA particles were absorbed deeper into the paper structure and made the whole matrix more brittle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]