Packaging for cured meat: An environmental assessment of plastic multi-material and paper-based solutions

Abstract

European policies target reduced packaging waste and increased recycling by 2030. While paper-based options offer potential recyclability, cured meats pose challenges due to the multi-material packaging required for their extended shelf-life. This study evaluates the environmental and economic sustainability of three packaging systems, i.e. plastic multi-material (MM), paper-based (PA) and a hybrid plastic and paper-based packaging (HY) for sliced cooked ham, considering both direct and indirect effects through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The functional unit was one packaging unit containing 100 g of sliced cooked ham. The MM was the most environmentally sustainable overall, as its longer shelf-life reduced food waste. The HY system had the highest environmental impact, mainly due to its shorter shelf-life and the environmental burden of combining paper and plastic. Paper-based systems had a lower environmental impact when focusing solely on the packaging life cycle due to paper’s recyclability and lower production burden. Considering the techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the three packaging, while PA and HY systems delivered marginally lower direct unit costs than MM, it retained the smallest share of value lost as waste per gram (0.135 % (MM) vs 0.144 % (HY) and 0.177 % (PA)), confirming its higher economic robustness alongside its environmental lead. The study underscores the complexity of evaluating food packaging systems and highlights the importance of enhancing barrier properties in paper-based packaging to reduce waste. It advocates for a holistic design approach that prioritizes material selection, recyclability, and shelf-life extension, emphasizing that shelf-life is a critical factor in LCA.