Food Packaging Research Group | ZHAW Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation ILGI

Innovative and sustainable packaging materials and processes for safe, high quality food.

The main goal of the Food Packaging Research Group is to develop innovative and sustainable packaging materials and processes to ensure that food is of high quality and safe.

Packaging plays an important role in maintaining food quality from production to consumption. Two important trends are currently driving the development of packaging materials: the trend in consumer preferences for minimally processed food without preservatives; and the demand for sustainable packaging products. In order to satisfy the needs of these trends, we develop innovative and sustainable packaging materials in close cooperation with food and packaging manufacturers.

Research Fields

Innovative Packaging Materials

Active and intelligent packaging is an example an innovative packaging technology. In contrast to traditional packaging materials, active packaging can play a further role, in addition to the passive barrier function, that ensures the quality of the food is maintained. Intelligent or smart packages allow the current quality status of a foodstuff to be monitored and communicated to the outside. In close collaboration with industry partners, we develop innovative active packaging materials such as:

Oxygen scavengers
Antimicrobial films
Antioxidant releasers

Development and Optimization of Food Packaging Processes

Determining the most suitable packaging process depends on the type of food. At the Food Packaging Research Group, we work closely with the food and packaging industries and support them by:

applying existing processes to new applications
optimising packaging processes to better preserve the quality of food
developing new packaging processes for existing or new products

Biopackaging

Biopackaging is made from renewable and/or biodegradable resources and can replace conventional packaging materials. However, technological properties of bioplastics often do not fulfil the desired performance criteria for application as a primary packaging material in the food industry. At the Food Packaging Research Group, we work on the development of bio-based packaging materials and in close cooperation with various food and packaging manufacturers optimise processes for their application in food packaging.

Shelf Life Simulation

Shelf life of food is very complex and depends on different factors. In addition to the food’s intrinsic properties, packaging also plays an important role. At the Food Packaging Research Group, we are developing a shelf life simulation programme to simulate the shelf life of various packaged food products. This tool will enable the influence of each individual factor, such as packaging design, material and process to be simulated so that the packaging can be optimised for a targeted shelf life. Possible applications of such a tool will be:

Optimisation of packaging materials
Evaluation of alternative packaging materials
Definition of suitable packaging for a targeted shelf life
Definition of packaging for new products
Optimisation of packaging process and storage conditions

Infrastructure

Our packaging technology centre is equipped with a variety of packaging machines to pack different types of food, climatic chambers to store the food under controlled conditions, and analytical equipment to evaluate the quality of the packaged products.

Detailed information on the infrastructure in the packaging technology centre(PDF 247,3 KB)

Publications

Lee, Melissa; Rüegg, Nadine; Yildirim, Selçuk,

2023.

Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of sodium alginate films integrated with cinnamon essential oil and citric acid on sliced cooked ham.

Packaging Technology and Science.

36(8), pp. 647-656.

Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2733
Dörnyei, Krisztina Rita; Uysal-Unalan, Ilke; Krauter, Victoria; Weinrich, Ramona; Incarnato, Loredana; Karlovits, Igor; Colelli, Giancarlo; Chrysochou, Polymeros; Fenech, Margaret Camilleri; Pettersen, Marit Kvalvåg; Arranz, Elena; Marcos, Begonya; Frigerio, Valeria; Apicella, Annalisa; Yildirim, Selçuk; Poças, Fátima; Dekker, Matthijs; Johanna, Lahti; Coma, Véronique; Corredig, Milena,

2023.

Sustainable food packaging : an updated definition following a holistic approach.

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.

7(1119052).

Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1119052
Rüegg, Nadine; Teixeira, Stephanie Rosa; Beck, Barbara Maria; Monnard, Fabien Wilhelm; Menard, Rico; Yildirim, Selçuk,

2022.

Application of antimicrobial packaging based on modified calcium carbonate and EOs for RTE meat products.

Food Packaging and Shelf Life.

34(100982).

Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2022.100982
Rüegg, Nadine; Röcker, Bettina; Yildirim, Selçuk,

2022.

Application of palladium-based oxygen scavenger to extend the mould free shelf life of bakery products.

Food Packaging and Shelf Life.

31(100771).

Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2021.100771
Hettmann, Kai; Monnard, Fabien W.; Melo Rodriguez, Gabriela; Hilty, Florentine M.; Yildirim, Selçuk; Schoelkopf, Joachim,

2022.

Porous coatings to control release rates of essential oils to generate an atmosphere with botanical actives.

Materials.

15(6), pp. 2155.

Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15062155

Further publications on other research topics at the Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation

Projects

Further confidential industry projects

Project Collaboration

We offer various opportunities for project collaboration. Projects are carried out in the form of research projects, development projects, services or student projects, such as semester papers, Bachelor’s theses, or Master’s theses.

For more information on project collaborations

For project inquiries, please contact Prof. Dr. Selcuk Yildirim