Group+1+v2

= //​​​​​// Welcome to **Alex A, Nat, Kaela, Christo and Cameron's**toc  Wikispace. (: =

** // Part 2: Packaging in the Past, Present and Future. // **

**Section 1:** History of Packaging
// This is a history of how packaging has evolved throughout the years. // Very early in time, food was eaten where it was found. Families and villages were self- sufficient, making and catching what they used. When containers were needed, nature provided gourds, shells, and leaves to use. Later, containers were fashioned from natural materials, such as hollowed logs, woven grasses and animal organs/skins.

Fabrics descended from furs used as primitive clothing. Fibres were matted into felts by plaiting or weaving. These fabrics were made into garments, used to wrap products or formed into bags. With the weaving process, grasses, and later reeds, were made into baskets to store food surpluses. Some foods could then be saved for future meals and less time was needed for seeking and gathering food. As ores and compounds were discovered, metals and pottery were developed, leading to other packaging forms Pottery was used to store foods for longer than they would last if they were wrapped in animal skins, hollow logs and grass. Metal was used to pack food in tins, cans. Thanks to it we now have canned fruit, dog food, spaghetti, tuna, deodorant, air freshener etc. Plastics can be used to pack meat, fruit, soft drinks, noodles, chips, almonds ect. And of course there’s plastic bags which are the no.1 killer of dolphins. Glass can be used to pack jam, drinks, ect.

** Section 2: ** Interviews
//In this task we were asked to interview an older person about packaging in the future.//


 * This is one of our interviews which was made by Alex, interviewing his father, Peter;**

media type="file" key="IFS-Interview.mp3" width="183" height="68" align="center"

**This next interview was a written interview done by Kaela, to her mother, Cristy;**.  What did you like the most about the way food was packaged when you were a kid?

It depended on what it was- if donuts with pink icing and fairy sprinkles were involved, I liked to be able to see them...especially if they were very fresh. Some lollies had bright packages, but most were fresh in their glass containers and placed in plain paper bags, which was a real treat. I remember I huge treat were the frozen block ices sold at the beachside kiosk in white paper bags. They were just cordial frozen in a rectangular prism shape, and they’d melt as you’d eat them with your fingers- they were such fun (and had a less chemical/ sugary taste than the commercial iceblocks- they haven’t changed much). We tended to eat mainly fresh foods: vegetables, fruit, meat, seeds, nuts, dried fruit, which we bought from specialist shops (ie Fruit & Veg market, butchers etc)...I don’t remember too much about supermarkets, as we didn’t go often. There just seemed to be a lot of colourful packages which we didn’t buy. We used the Supermarkets more from when I was about 10 years old, when Coles opened up a brand new store, with fresh juicing facilities. We mainly bought pasta, noodles, toilet paper etc from the supermarkets. I do remember my sister and I being fascinated by new toys and gadgets, more than food products. We generally didn’t ask for pre-packaged food products, as we knew the answer would be ‘no’. We became more interested in labels and the contents of foods in our teenaged years- we were pretty health conscious.

Is there any way you think we could learn from what was used to package food back then?

I don’t know that so much has changed- cardboard boxes, plastic packets, paper bags...I think we have learned a bit in that we now don’t use free plastic bags at checkouts. Maybe there were less frozen and pre-packaged foods- I don’t know. I’d certainly like to see more people cooking fresh foods to nourish their bodies, instead of companies targeting young people or the uneducated (about what healthy foods really are) with packaging and advertisements to sell their incredibly unhealthy products, which are also addictive (sugar, salt, caffeine). Targeting the vulnerable is no new thing- it just seems to be more and more prevalent.

What do you think has improved in supermarkets since you were a kid?

Availability of a really wide range of produce, including healthy and allergy sensitive options. They also seem to be de-cluttering a bit...although they have more products, they store and display them in more attractive ways (a sales ploy, but easier on the eye, and easier to choose).

Where do you think we’re headed in the future of packaging food?

 It depends on who the governments listen to- those who dominate the markets and simply want to sell as much as they can, or those who are interested in the good of the planet and its people. I hope the major brands, selling companies and primary producers really work together to come to the party in terms of sustainable packaging and creating truly healthy products, including fresh produce which is as natural as possible.

What are some tips you can give for keeping food fresher for longer?

· Buy smaller amounts more often · Don’t wash fruit & veg before refridgerating- wash it before using · Grow your own herbs, vegetables and fruits · Place bought herbs in a water filled glass and cover with a plastic bag (particularly basil) · Store bananas separately from other fruits, and not in the fridge- they ripen foods they touch and blacken in the fridge

​ **Our final interview, another written one, made by Natalie, is her interviewing her mother, Carolyn;**

Question 1; What are the differences between food packaging in today’s society and when you were a kid?

A lot more food is packaged – meat, cakes, muesli bars, individual serves of fruit (processed) and yoghurt, chips, biscuits just to name a few. This means lots of polystyrene and plastic wrap. Although it may be more convenient, it creates a huge amount of rubbish – increasing land fill. There is a lot more processed food now – e.g. packets of cold meat, T.V. dinners – (individual meals to microwave, this could mean that people don’t get enough fresh fruit and vegetables. )

Question 2; What ways do you think food packaging could improve in the next 20 years?

Reduce the amount of packaging. – Maybe instead of having meat on polystyrene trays and wrapped in plastic, meat could be vacuum-packed, - this means only one wrapping. Products that break down to reduce landfill could be used for muesli bars etc. use a lot more recycled products and ones that can be recycled. Encourage correct disposable of such products. We could try and reduce the amount of packaging and make it simpler than it is today.

Question 3; If you could choose a type of packaging for processed foods, what would it be and why?

Less packaging as previously said, maybe vacuum-packing and avoid double packaging (such as plastic and then cardboard boxes, or plastic and then more plastic).

Question 4; Do you think that transporting foods decreases the freshness in the product? what is the reason for your answer?

Not necessarily - fresh fruit and vegetables can be decreased if coming a far distance and so are transported a long time after picking, but if kept properly eg, at the correct temperatures then it shouldn't have any major effect. It all comes down to how it has been treated once picked, caught or baked.

** Section 3: ** Packaging in the Future
= = During this task we will look at different ways to encance packaging technology in the future.

The packaging industry is updating almost every day and new technologies are taking the older technologies place. Consumer behaviour, product demand and the current level of global warming are all going to have a direct impact on the future of packaging.

All around the world, convenience has become an important characteristic in the life of people nowadays. Many changes in the structure of the family, amount of working women rising, more working hours and a higher amount of time commuting, have also had contribution to the need for convenience. Thus, the need for those kinds of packaging, that enables the adult as well as children to open them, has gotten higher as a result.

Health is also a driving factor in the future of packaging. With the people becoming more and more concerned about their health, the manufacturers are more likely to use packaging that delivers the information regarding the product in a convenient and easy to read way. With the rise in the demand for the food items that have active ingredients to achieve lifestyle as well as the launch of competitive products in quick time, the need for changes in packaging are inevitable.

With the amount of green house emissions getting higher and higher, there is a need to change the packaging trends that have been followed so badly in the past. The fact that even some people have become more sensitive towards the need of environmenty friendly technology, will surely help in making the future of packaging more eco friendly. Many packaging options like paper bags instead of plastic ones and other environmentally friendy packaging materials are likely to get more support in the future.

= Part 3: Packaging Materials Investigation Part 1 = <span style="color: #0023ff; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">For this task we had to each take a photo of a fresh food, staple food, prepared food, beverage and some take away. We then had to identify the type of material used to package these things and why.

<span style="color: #0023ff; display: block; font-size: 80%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">Alex's Photo <span style="color: #0023ff; display: block; font-size: 96%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">Carrots - The packaging is made of plastic which is used to keep the carrots fresh. Pasta - The packaging is made of plastic used to hold the pasta as it would keep with or without it, but needs holding. Le Snak- The box is made of carboard that holds the individual 'Le Snaks'. - The individual 'Le Snaks' are packaged with plastic and foil which preserves them. Solo Lemonade- The drinking container is made of recyclable plastic which holds the drink.

<span style="color: #0023ff; display: block; font-size: 96%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">Cameron's photo

Eggs- The carton is made from paper mache to keep the eggs from breaking. Lemon- The bag is made from plastic. It is this way because it holds it best and is proabably the cheapest. Milo- The tin is made from tin, to keep the milo dry and fresh. Easy mac- The packaging is a cardboard box that contains 4 plastic bags containing pasta and a plastic sachet of cheese powder. The plastic is there to keep the pasta fresh.

Part 4: Food Packaging Materials Investigation Part 2
For this task we had to find out more info about the packaging talked about in the last section.

PET- PET or Polyethylene terephthalate is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family. It can be semi-rigid to rigid, depending on its thickness, and it is very lightweight. It makes a good gas and fair moisture barrier, as well as a good barrier to alcohol and solvents. It is strong and impact-resistant. It is naturally colourless and very transparent. It is generally used to hold carbonated soft drink as well as water. It can also be used to make fibres for polyester products. The advantages of using PET are that it works well to hold soft drink and also that it is highly recyclable and has the number 1 as its recycling symbol so it is better for the environment than a lot of other plastics and a lot of it gets recycled into carpet fibre.

HDPE- HDPE or High-Density Polyethylene is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. It takes 1.75 kilograms of petroleum to make one kilogram of HDPE. It can withstand higher temperatures than a lot of other plastics and contains the chemical elements carbon and hydrogen. HDPE is commonly recycled, and has the number 2 as its recycling symbol. It is generally used to package pasta and other dry foods like rice as well as being used for milk bottles. Some advantages of using HDPE is that it is stronger so won't break as easily and that it can withstand high temps of up to 115 degrees celsius so won't melt easily. A disadvantage of using HDPE is that it takes a lot of petroleum to make so is worse for the environment than some other plastics.

LDPE- LDPE or Low-Density Polyethylene is a thermoplastic made from petroleum. It can withstand temperatures up to 95 degrees celsius and, like HDPE, contains carbon and hydrogen. LDPE can be recycled, but a lot of places don't have the facilities to to recycle it. It has the number 4 as its recycling symbol. It is generally used to package juice and milk cartons as well as some fresh foods like carrots though its most common use is in plastic bags. An advantage of using LDPE is that it is very cheap, but disadvantages of using it is that it is weak and that it isn't very good for the environment.

Paperboard<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">-Paperboard is  <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">like <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">paper  <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">,  <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">a vegetable-fibre web formed from a water suspension <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;"> paperboard is generally thicker (usually over 0.25 mm or 10 <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 81%;">points) than <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">paper <span style="color: #0001ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">.

=** Part 5: Alternate Packaging Design Investigation **= For this task we had to investigate differences in two different types of packages and decide which we thought was best and why.

First, we were handed two packets of chips​... Our first; A packet of Smith's Thinly cut pack of six. Our second; A 175g Smith's Thinly cut packet.

We took some measurements of Surface Area and Volume. The pack of six: V = LxWxH = 41x20x8 =6560cm cubed SA = LxWx2 = 41x20x2 = 1640cm squared

The 175g pack: V = LxWxH = 34x21.5x8 =5848cm cubed

SA = LxWx2 = 34x21.5x2 = 1462cm squared Small packets inside the pack of six: V = LxWxH = 15.5x14.5x1.5 = 337.125cm cubed

SA = LxWx2 = 15.5x14.5x2 = 449.5cm squared

About a third of the a third of the packaging of 175g Smiths thinly cut is wasted but it is to stop the chips from breaking when you drop them. About half the packaging of 114g Smiths thinly cut 6 pack is wasted about a third of that is to stop the chips from breaking when you drop them but the rest just goes to waste. The chip packets are made of a type from foil. But they aren’t yet recyclable or biodegradable.

Conclusion: The chips in both of the packets held up very well as the packaging did its job. The packets didn't break and neither did most of the chips. The material chosen is good because it does its job well, but bad because it isn't biodegradeable. There is a lot of empty space inside the packet, some of it is being used to help keep the chips fresh and intact, but some of it is a waste of packaging. Overall the large packet is better as it contains more chips and less packaging for the same price.