A scoping review of food packaging life cycle assessments that account for packaging-related food waste

Abstract

Purpose The aims of this scoping review were to examine the extent to which food packaging life cycle assessment studies included food waste specifically attributed to food packaging, overall and by food category; synthesise outcomes in terms of the ability of packaging solutions to minimise food waste; and identify areas of future research to provide a comprehensive understanding of where future packaging LCA efforts could be directed. Methods This article presents a scoping review of 23 peer-reviewed papers on food packaging LCAs that explicitly accounted for packaging-related food waste. The articles were analysed by the major food product categories examined in the LCAs. The review examined the: (i) distribution of LCAs across food product categories, (ii) packaging materials/solutions assessed, (iii) food waste related packaging functions evaluated, and (iv) additional factors that influence packaging-related food waste (e.g., consumer behaviour). Results and discussion Most of the reviewed LCAs focused on food categories associated with high environmental impacts such as animal-based products (meat and dairy) and highly perishable products (fresh fruits and vegetables). Plastic was the most frequently evaluated packaging material. Shelf-life extension was the most evaluated food waste related packaging attribute, and was found to play an important role in preventing food waste, especially within high impact food categories. Conclusions The small number of studies identified in this review highlights a need for greater attention to food waste across more food categories in future food packaging LCAs. Similarly, there is considerable potential for greater consideration of packaging attributes relevant to different food product categories.

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