Work

Towards a Circular Economy for Plastic Food Packaging: Wear Assessment of Polyethylene Terephthalate

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The increasing utilization of single-use plastics in the food sector poses serious environmental challenges. A circular economy approach, i.e., reusing packaging before recycling, offers a promising solution but raises concerns about cross-contamination between food products. This study investigates how repeated use and cleaning affect the surface topography of plastic food packaging and, in turn, how these changes influence cleaning efficiency and assessment. Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) trays were subjected to 20 industrial wash cycles with and without detergent concentration of 0.3% v/v at the following temperatures: 55 °C wash, 70 °C rinse. Surface roughness was measured using mechanical and optical techniques. Additionally, trays were roughened with sandpaper of varying grit sizes to simulate mechanical wear during consumer use. Cleanability was assessed using UV fluorescence imaging and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assays. Results showed no significant increase in surface roughness after 20 wash cycles. However, artificially roughened surfaces retained more food residue, complicating cleaning. The application of UV fluorescence imaging proved more effective than ATP assays in detecting food residues on textured surfaces. These findings support the use of advanced imaging for evaluating the hygiene of reusable packaging and highlight key considerations for implementing circular reuse systems in food packaging.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17198695

Authors: Mariam Qaiser, Fiona Hatton, James Colwill, Patrick Webb, Elliot Woolley

Institution: Loughborough University

Language: English

Topic: Food Safety and Hygiene

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896